Isolation and Snow
by SwallowSword
Summary: If you could control time, what would you do? TYL Hibari made a mistake in killing his loved one, and he wants her back. Unfortunately there's another mortal who can mess with time, and he finds himself with some nasty competition. HibarixOCxMukuro
1. Calamity Versus Chaos

Rating: T, for possible goryness...

Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn! I do, however, own my OC. She'll be introduced in this fic soon enough.

A/N: I've recently started up in Fanfiction as SwallowSword. I hope you guys like it! And I hope you guys review my work, because reviews give me motivation to keep writing. This idea's been swimming in my head for quite a while, and I just hadn't had the time to type it up. Plus, the first few times I tried, I found it so unsatisfying and boring that I scrapped it completely. And so, I really hope everyone drops in with a quick review, just to see if I'm doing okay with the plot and all, and also to see if Hibari stays in character. Also, this is probably going to be Hibari x OC x Mukuro. Read and review, everyone!

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><p>Calamity Versus Chaos<p>

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><p>Winter had reached the small town of Namimori once more. Snow blanketed the streets heavily, coating a thin, powdery white layer on everything. Hibari lay on the school roof, uncaring of the cold, with his jacket fluttering around his shoulders as usual and a thick scarf coiled around his neck. Beside him, tall and heavy piles of snow lay, obscuring him from prying eyes of anyone else save for the group of lone birds still wheeling in the sky. The only sign of the cold bothering him is a light smudge of red on the tip of his nose. His ever faithful companion Hibird twittered and floated fleetingly across the sky, looking like a oversized, puffy snowflake.<p>

Wind trailed around the empty campus of Namimori Middle. As his eyes fluttered shut against the sudden chill, Hibari sighed gently into the surrounding emptiness. For just two weeks, the halls of Namimori ceased to be noisy, and the school is only occupied with the strict Disciplinarian and his faithful right hand, Kusakabe Tetsuya. Even Kusakabe had gone home for the day, but only after ensuring that the Disciplinary Committee Chairman had warm clothes in his possession and therefore would not catch pneumonia.

Out of all the seasons in the yearly cycle, Hibari liked winter the best. Winter was simple, a world of white shades. Winter was silent and disciplined, here in Namimori. Never a fierce flurry of a snowstorm, nor a pathetic trickle of wet flakes. Snow fell steadily and quietly, blanketing. The cold was biting, yes, but it made the herbivores retreat to their safe, warm burrows, and leaves the stronger carnivores to prowl the world on their own. Winter was the season where Hibari could relax more, seeing as stupid thugs and delinquents would rather go drinking or smoking drugs than attempt on vandalizing his beloved school.

Hibari drifted in and out of naps while he was on the roof. Hibird came and went, occasionally flitting down to nudge affectionately at his owner's exposed face. Even the bird knew not to disturb it's master when he's napping.

When he opened his eyes once more, the sun was setting. Fiery golden orange streaks mingled with vibrant red, splashing across the canvas of the sky. Hibari picked himself off the school roof gracefully, dusting down his jacket carefully. Quickly summoning Hibird, the two of them made their slow way across the rooftop and into the empty campus of Namimori Middle. Exiting the school, they strolled leisurely through the quiet town, reaching Hibari's traditionally Japanese style house.

Hibari let himself in quickly. Even carnivores are not impervious to the cold, and he was starting to feel a slight cold coming on. His throat ticked and his nose itched. He had no inclination of succumbing to such a pitiful disease, and so immediately brewed himself a warm cup of green tea and retreated to his bedroom, cup of tea in one hand and a book in the other.

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><p>A few days passed, and Namimori was starting to get livelier. People are returning from wherever they went for the holidays, and Hibari found it harder and harder to find time to simply relax, drink tea and read. He had to constantly go out and bite rowdy groups to death. And pretty soon, another problem presented itself to him.<p>

Sasagawa Ryohei.

"HIBARI! OIIII! HIBARI! LET ME IN TO THE EXTREME! I WANT TO FIGHT YOU! HIBARI!"

Said man was currently pounding on his cherry oak wood door, screaming his lungs out. Ever since the Inheritance episode, Ryohei thinks he can persuade Hibari to do anything as long as he persistantly follows him around, or knocks on his door in this case. Hibari winced slightly as he heard his front door creak under the pressure of the boxer's fists. He considered slamming his tonfas into Ryohei's skull as soon as the door gives way. But then again, it would just prompt the boxer to become more aggressive and most likely result in heavy damage dealt to the traditionally Japanese styled house. So Hibari decided to make a tactical retreat, and slipped neatly out the back door.

Stepping into the coolness of a mid January afternoon, Hibari sneezed as snowflakes drifted gently onto his nose. He wished that he had thought of grabbing his scarf before heading out, but that would require going back into the house and possibly meeting with the annoying boxer. Therefore he didn't venture back into the wooden premises, and chose to stride away, taking a mid afternoon patrolling stroll on the embankments of the small river that ran through Namimori.

"HIBARI!"

He was quickly found out. That boxer really was undeterred with Hibari's cold nature. Ryohei came rushing towards the silent skylark, fists pumping into the air repetitively.

"HIBARI! LET'S JUST HAVE ONE MATCH! ONE! I WANT TO EXTREMELY FIGHT YOU!"

Hibari obviously still didn't want anything to do with the white-haired maniac behind him. He snarled quietly at the loud words, but nonetheless didn't comment. He just wanted peace and quiet. And discipline. Life without Sasagawa Ryohei is peaceful, quiet _and_ disciplined.

Turning his face away from the shouting teenager, he opted walk closer to the river. Though it was January, the river's constant water movements kept it flowing steadily, and kept the water from being frozen. Hibari glared disdainfully as a few pieces of rubbish floated by. He was quite keen on keeping Namimori a clean, polished place. Looking around, he saw marked graffiti on the sidewalks, the vivid writing and paint jobs barely being covered by the whiteness of the snow. A few vulgar words jumped out at him, and he let out a low growl. Putting the vandalism here next to the river the top of his list of things to do, he decided to go visit the sanitation committee in charge of keeping Namimori clean. Someone isn't doing his or her job well.

Walking straight ahead with a clear purpose in mind, he quicken his pace. A surprised Ryohei ceased shouting for a second, and then resumed his extremely annoying hollering. However, Hibari had long since learned to ignore the noise pollution. He shrugged off the hand on his shoulder determinedly and continued his patrol.

Until he almost walked right into someone.

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><p>"Kamikorosu..." He began.<p>

Tilting his head up to scowl at the person, his eyes widened in shock. There, standing right before him, was _himself._ Except considerably older. He looked around ten years older than the current Hibari, who found himself unable to do anything but stare at the man in surprise. It wasn't everyday that you see yourself in an older form after all.

Except the older man didn't stop at all. He continued walking, seemingly not noticing the smaller self before him. When he reached close proximity with the current Hibari, Ten Years Later Hibari (as Hibari himself dubbed...his older self as) walked straight through his younger self. Hibari looked like he had just been slapped. He didn't feel anything but a cool breeze as the older man passed through him with no friction or resistance at all. It was as if he were a ghost. And even more surprising is the fact that he found himself face to face with a woman. A woman that looked vaguely familiar:

_Koizumi Kumiko, _his mind supplied helpfully. _Currently attending Namimori Chuu, in the same class as Sawada Tsunayoshi. Grades are average, is a shy, quiet girl and isn't known to have spoken to anyone since her admittance to the Namimori Schools community in year 2. _

If it weren't for the fact that Hibari had been going through her student profile to check on her grades the night before, Hibari would have never recognized her. However, the woman's identity was unmistakable, her hair still that dull brown color, and her eyes still habitually cast to the ground in shyness. Except that this Koizumi Kumiko looked 25 instead of her supposedly 15 years as of now. The question is why she was following after Ten Years Later Hibari. They were even holding hands, as if they had been strolling along the riverbanks as a couple. Koizumi Kumiko passed cleanly through Hibari as well.

_Are they both ghosts?_

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><p>"HIBARI! WHAT'S WRONG, HIBARI? WHY AREN'T YOU WALKING ANYMORE?"<p>

Snapping back to reality with Ryohei's yells, Hibari once again turned to glare at the boxer. He must be hallucinating. But just to check, he gestured to the 'couple' with a jerk of his head.

"Herbivore. Who are those people. Tell me."

Ryohei turned in the indicated direction, peering curiously about.

"WHAT, HIBARI? I DON'T SEE ANYTHING!"

Hibari resisted the urge to tonfa the boxer into oblivion. There was obviously two people, standing right there. Ten Years Later Hibari had drawn Koizumi Kumiko closer to him now, and was currently wrapping his arms around her, letting her head fall onto his chest gently. Hibari glared at the sight. There's no way he would act in such a herbivorous way.

Koizumi looked up into Ten Years Later Hibari's steely gray eyes, her brown ones soft and questioning. Ten Years Later Hibari looked down at her, a masked sadness glimmering in his eyes. To anyone else, it would've seemed like his expression is completely blank at the moment, but Hibari was certain there was sadness in his eyes. After all, Hibari himself was well acquainted with the feeling of hiding himself within a seemingly indifferent expression. Koizumi didn't do anything but duck her head, nuzzling closer to Ten Years Later Hibari. Her arms reached up to clench into his shirt, crinkling the pressed purple fabric.

Hibari wanted to turn away. The moment seemed so intimate; it felt like he was intruding, even though it was technically himself. He couldn't understand why he had the urge to keep watching. He could've turned around to walk away, or even to send a few blows into the oblivious boxer's brain. But he didn't look away.

And he wished he did.

Ten Years Later Hibari took out his tonfas. He looked at them in a considering manner before throwing them aside with a pained expression. He then reached into the back of his jacket and pulled out a gun. His expression was a screen of careful apathy.

Hibari's eyes narrowed even further. Why would he throw away his main weapons of attack when he was getting ready to bite a herbivore to death? Was Ten Years Later Hibari tired of Koizumi Kumiko's presence? If so, why not just beat her up and leave her quivering on the floor like he himself has done countless of times to the students at Nami-chuu? Why the intimacy?

_He acts like he loves her..._

Ten Years Later Hibari wrapped his one free arm around the woman once more. It was a desperate, gripping motion. It didn't seem like he wanted to let her go. With the other hand, he carefully raised the gun and pressed it against her temple. The woman raised her head, muttering something. Hibari couldn't hear it because the words were blown away as soon as she spoke them. As soon as Koizumi's eyes met his, Ten Years Later Hibari's eyes clenched shut.

He pulled the trigger.

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><p>AN: Remember, this is my first time writing a story like this. Constructive criticism is welcome, but I hope I won't get any flamers. Reviews are definitely loved. I hope that was enough of a cliffy!


	2. Dream Versus Reality

Disclaimer: I don't own Katekyo Hitman Reborn!

Rating: T; angst and (kind of?) self-abuse in this chapter.

A/N: Thanks for the reviews, guys! I really enjoyed reading them and I'm glad to know that you guys appreciate my story. I'm not confident about my writing at all so your support really meant a lot to me. Sorry if there were any major grammatical errors. Grammar is definitely not my strength. Also, sorry if anyone is Out of Character, or if my OC is Mary Sue. I'm trying to make this story not cliche as possible! Anyway, onwards, my friends!

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><p>Dreams Versus. Reality<p>

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><p><em>She looks beautiful today. Her hair floats around her in soft, wispy waves, and he suppressed the urge to run his hand through her brown locks. Her eyes shine brightly, and a trusting smile graced her face.<em>

"_Kyoya..." She murmured softly to him, hoping to gain a reaction._

_He only ever took off that mask of indifference when it was just him and Kumiko alone together, but today was an exception. Though they were alone, he wasn't going to let his emotions get in the way of what has to be done. She herself requested that he do this, and he was definitely not going to fail her. _

"_Hurry." Came his curt, one worded reply. _

_The two of them ran towards the river. It was mid afternoon, and the sun hung lowly in the sky as if trying to make up it's mind about either dipping behind the mountain to create a beautiful array of reds and yellows or to climb slowly back into the sky and blind everyone with eye piercing yellow. Hibari wished desperately that it were the latter. "Turning back time, huh?" He mused quietly to himself. If only he could still do that. Then he wouldn't have to..._

_They reached the riverbanks. There was nobody there, just the way he liked it. His presence must have either scared off everyone, or it was a freaky coincidence. Coincidence or not, it just made it more convenient for him to do what has to be done. _

_He stopped abruptly. He sensed another presence, standing not far from where he and Kumiko currently stood. He glanced around wildly, one hand still holding onto Kumiko, the other instinctively going to his sleeves and wrapping around the sleek handle of one of his tonfas. When he realized that there was nobody there, he felt a spike of anger at his own stupidity. Now was not the time to be paranoid about anything. _

"_Kyoya?" She questioned again. He turned to her, wrapping his arms around her. He pulled her closer to him, letting her head droop onto his chest. _

"_Are you sure? There must be another way. There must be. I'll find it, and you won't have to..."_

"_Kyoya. I've already steeled my heart for this. I knew it would happen sooner or later. Don't raise false hope anymore! It'll just hurt us both. You'll be happier without me around, I know it. I won't be restricting you anymore, and you can have your freedom again!" A low chuckle escaped from her lips. "Just like a bird, huh, Kyoya? A skylark freewheeling in the sky. I'll look for you when I'm up there."_

_His chest hurt. He wasn't used to this tightening feeling at all. He wanted to claw at his heart, but he mustn't show weakness in front of her. She'll waver, and then she'll crack. He has to stay strong for her. She cast her eyes downwards, as if she was ashamed of something. Taking advantage of her position, his eyes flashed pain for a second before returning to it's previously emotionless state. _

_Reaching into his sleeves, he pulled out his retractable tonfas, snapping them open neatly. He paused once more, sensing the presence watching him once more. He dismissed it as another bout of paranoia, and looked at his tonfas. It would be so cruel of him to beat Koizumi to death. It would be needlessly painful and unnecessarily messy. But the inner sadistic side of him called for blood. It would be so easy to just slam it into her head. She wouldn't feel any pain, because she'd be unconscious. Then he could methodically cut off all the nerves in her body, and then he'd finish with a final blow to her temple. _

"_Make it quick, Kyoya. Please...I-I don't want to feel...I'm still scared..."_

_Her quiet sobs reached his ears, and he threw away his tonfas in disgust. What kind of a monster was he? Here he was, contemplating how to beat his beloved to death. He should just grant her a quick death. It was the least he could do anyway. He pulled her closer with his one free arm. No, the least he could do was hold her closer. He wasn't a monster. _

_Pulling out a gun, he felt his hand grow clammy as it touched the uneven cool metal of the deadly weapon. He wanted to throw it away, just as he'd done with his precious tonfa. He didn't want to put a bullet in her head. He loved her. He didn't want to lose her again, especially just after he'd gain her trust. He wanted to save her, not kill her. It wasn't her fault..._

_It was his. _

_Pressing the gun to her temple, he stilled his heart. Just pull the trigger, he told himself. It was easy. An action that didn't require any thinking. Just imagine she's another herbivore that needs to be properly disciplined. Just imagine..._

"_Just do it."_

_She was looking up at him again. He could see the obvious glimmer of tears in her eyes, and he slammed his own eyes shut. He didn't want to see her pain. He was hurting too. _

_He pulled the trigger. _

_The previously verdant surroundings were suddenly painted red. Hibari Kyoya clutched the limp body in his arms tightly and resisted the urge to bury his face into her now bloodied hair and breathe in her scent one last time. _

_Let her go, he told himself. _

_And so he lowered the body to the floor gently and stood up gracefully, dusting off his now soiled suit. He stared down at the body, and was satisfied with the lack of emotions that came with seeing her lying dead on the floor. Hibari Kyoya will not fall to such herbivorous emotions, after all._

_The presence came back, much stronger than before. There was even a tinge of fear and anger to the previously neutral aura. Hibari Kyoya looked up and saw his younger self staring at him, shock evident in the younger male's face. Hibari's fist clenched._

_He felt furious anger boiling in his heart. Frustration, pain, grief, self-pity, even love, it all came back to him in a rush. The various emotions confused him. He wanted to cry and laugh and kill someone all at the same time. It was all too much for him. So he molded all the emotions into carefully controlled anger, and looked up to meet his younger self in the eye. He saw his younger self's eyes widen another fraction of an inch, the teenager instinctively taking a step away from the man that was now emitting rolling waves of killing intent directed at him. _

_**Naive. **_

_**Stupid. **_

_**It's all your fault.**_

_**You couldn't save her.**_

_With a snarl of pure rage, Hibari found himself sprinting towards his unsuspecting younger self, tonfas scooped up from their resting place on the crimson cement. He smashed it into his younger self's face, feeling a sense of satisfaction at the bruised flesh and broken nose that was sure to come from such a powerful blow. _

_Younger Hibari flew back with the blow, having been caught so unexpectedly that he didn't even manage to bring up his own tonfas to defend himself. _

_**Pathetic. You're not strong enough. You didn't protect her. **_

_Younger Hibari landed in a crumpled heap on the floor, his lips parted in a silent cry. Even now, while being attacked in such a surprised and unfair situation, his pride will not allow him to cry out. His stupid, stupid pride. _

…_**.I'm so sorry, Kumiko. It's all my fault.**_

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><p>Hibari sat up in the hospital, one hand clutching his broken nose. The nurses bustling about next to him suddenly went still with fear. Hibari Kyoya woke up. Hibari Kyoya has a broken nose and a black eye. Hibari Kyoya lost in a fight. Hibari Kyoya will NOT be pleased.<p>

True to their suspicious, Hibari let out a vicious snarl at their expressions. The majority of them 'eep'ed and scuttled away, suddenly busy with the most mundane of tasks such as watering the plants on the dresser placed in the farthest position away from his bed. One bravely approached him, holding out a thermometer with a quaking hand.

"Hibari-san...we need to take your temperatu..."

She let out a squeak of fear as she was immediately interrupted; the door to Hibari's hospital room slammed open.

"HIBARI! ARE YOU IN HERE?"

As soon as the door revealed the white haired boxer, Hibari considered jumping out the window. When will that loud herbivore ever learn to leave him alone?

He half stood up to do the very thing he was thinking of, but stopped at the sight of himself in the mirror. His nose was bandaged tightly, keeping it in place as the bones healed. One side of his face was clear of damage, his skin white and immaculate. But the other half was marred with a line of black and blue, painfully discordant with the unharmed half of his face. Hibari winced slightly as he tried to crack open his eye. The very act of flickering his left eyelid caused pain to shoot through his skull. He turned away. His own reflection was painful to look at.

And the worse thing was, he had done this to himself.

Behind him, Ryohei let out a spluttered gasp as he saw Hibari's face. The boxer fell silent at the sight of Hibari's injuries. It wasn't anything like what Rokudo Mukuro had done to him, but it was still shocking to see one so powerful as Hibari to be hurt this much with only one strike.

"Hibari...what happened?"

_Doesn't he remember? Wasn't he there?_

"Hibari, you extremely flew back suddenly! And now your nose is broken and your face is bruised! DID YOU EXTREMELY HIT YOURSELF WITH YOUR TONFA? OR DID AN INVISIBLE ENEMY ATTACK YOU? ARE YOU OKAY?"

The idea was so unexpected that even Hibari turned away and scoffed at the boxer's musings. It was such a herbivorous thought, for him to hurt himself. And yet it was dangerously close to the truth. The only thing he still didn't understand was how Sasagawa Ryohei didn't seem to have seen anything, much less a suit clad older Hibari running towards the two of them with a strong malicious intent. Another plausible explanation was that Rokudo Mukuro was in the area and had made the 'couple' intending to mess with Hibari's mind. But he himself didn't sense the illusionist's presence, and he had trained himself to do so every since his humiliating defeat at the hands of Mukuro, so there was no way it was an illusion.

Hibari wanted answers. And so the most logical thing do to was to find the other person he'd seen, Koizumi Kumiko.

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><p>Winter break was over. On January 2nd, students wearing the Namimori winter uniform could be seen trudging drearily up to the school. Many of them glanced occasionally at their watches, not wanting to be bitten to death by the strict disciplinarian.<p>

Hibari stood by the school gates, watching as everyone dipped their heads meekly as soon as they reached him, not daring to look up until they were halfway across the courtyard. Nobody commented on the bandages wrapping around his nose, nor his bruised face. The bruises had become an ugly mix of black and muddy yellow, showing that they were surely but slowly healing.

"HIIIEEEE? Hibari-san! What happened to your face?"

"SAWADA! I TOLD YOU! HIBARI GOT EXTREMELY BEATEN BY AN INVISIBLE GHOST!" Ryohei screamed at the trio while jogging past, on his way to the boxing club. Hibari sent him a dark look.

"Invisible...g-g-g-ghost?"

Tsuna sounded like he was going to either wet his pants with fear or go throw up in the bushes. Gokudera, seeing Jyuudaime's green face, shot a glare at Hibari and patted Tsuna on the back. Yamamoto was silent for once, staring at the wound.

"Oi, Hibari. You should put some ice on that. I always do that when I get bruised from playing baseball. It helps a lot! That wound looks nasty..."

"Tch. Crowding herbivores? Go to class or _I'll bite you to death_."

"BASTARD HIBARI! DON'T SPEAK SO RUDELY TO JYUUDAIME!"

"HIIIEEEE! Gokudera-kun! Don't throw dynamites at Hibari-san! He's already injured!"

_I don't need your pity, Sawada Tsunayoshi. _

"Maah maah Gokudera! Let's not fight! Hibari's hurt already, so be nicer to hi..."

_I DON'T NEED YOUR PITY. _

"**I'll bite you to death." **Hibari snarled. He couldn't take it anymore. The stress, the frustration at his pain and his confusion at the situation, it overwhelmed him. His eyes flashed dangerously, and his tonfas were suddenly unsheathed and swinging forward. First the insolent Gokudera Hayato. Gokudera gave a yelp of surprise as the metallic stick connected with his skull. Hibari felt his lips twitch with sadistic pleasure as the impact made a crunch.

_Weak herbivores. All of you are weak herbivores. _

Next with the stupidly compassionate baseball idiot. Yamamoto Takeshi barely managed to bring his arm up to defend his face as the tonfa went hurtling in his direction. Nevertheless, the tonfa connected, sending him skidding painfully away on the slippery snow covered ground. Then Sawada Tsunayoshi, the so called leader of this crowd of herbivores. Tsuna was sent sprawling to the ground, the blow hitting him squarely in the stomach. Hibari allowed himself a satisfied smile. Discipline will be enforced, and crowding and lateness will not be allowed. Pity will not be allowed.

And while he was busy biting the Vongola Decimo and his two best friends to death, Hibari failed to notice the brown-haired girl dart past him quickly.

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><p>"Tch. Damn that Hibari. He's so violent. Jyuudaime, we should just blow him up. Jyuudaime you give me the command and I'll..."<p>

"G-gokudera-kun! Let's not! Hibari-san's just in a bad mood because of his wound!"

The trio were walking to the rooftop for their lunchtime meeting. Just as they rounded the corner of the corridor, Tsuna collided with someone. Emitting a strangled yelp of surprise, Tsuna hit the floor painfully.

"Owowowowow!"

"JYUUDAIME! Tch. DAMN WOMAN, APOLOGIZE!"

The brown-haired girl stared back at him pleadingly, her own hands scraped from the resulting fall. Tsuna got up with some difficulty and then patted Gokudera on the arm to placate the zealous bomber.

"Gokudera, it's just Koizumi-san! It's just an accident, so it's okay. I was surprised, that's all."

Koizumi Kumiko bowed in apology, while Gokudera sent her a distrustful look.

"Tch, if Jyuudaime says so. I'll spare her this time."

Kumiko sent Tsuna a grateful look, to which the brunette hesitantly returned with a small smile of his own.

"Crowding again, herbivores?"

Hibari narrowed his eyes upon seeing the four at the bottom of the stairs. His hands itched to pull out his tonfas and ensure discipline once more. His eyes met those of the brown-haired girl, and he jerked back slightly in surprise.

_Koizumi Kumiko, huh?_

He pushed Sawada Tsunayoshi aside violently and grabbed the girl by her collar. Kumiko gave a squeak of surprise as she was shoved against the wall roughly.

"Herbivore..."

Anyone passing could hear the clear threat in Hibari's voice. He was furious with this girl, and she didn't even know what she did wrong. He pressed her into the wall further, making her yelp in pain.

"Explain yourself, herbivore. What were you doing yesterday?"

Upon seeing Kumiko's confused look, he resisted the urge to growl at her. Instead, he raised his tonfa in a threatening and slammed it into the wall beside her head.

"Speak, or I'll bite you to death."

Kumiko's look turned pleading, desperate. She scrabbled for her schoolbag, which had been tossed aside in the sudden attack. Hibari stared at her distressed motions with disgust. Such a pathetic weakling. She didn't even count as a herbivore in this sense, because she didn't even bother to fight back. No wonder his future self decided to get rid of her. No wonder she willing let herself be killed. No wonder she believed his deviously 'loving' look right before he shot her in the head. There's no way the Ten Years Later Hibari Kyoya would fall in love with such a pathetic creature. She is a weak, stupid organism. She won't survive for one second in this dangerous world. And Hibari resents her for that, for some weird, obscure reason.

She whimpered as his grip tightened on her, but he was soon pulled off of her. He whipped around to glare at the person holding him back; Yamamoto Takeshi. Yamamoto grimaced at his fierce glare, and backed away.

"What do you want, herbivore?"

"Hibari, even if you hurt her, she's not going to be able to give you the information you want!"

"Hn?"

He let go of the girl and she fell to the ground, rubbing her shoulders and staring at him fearfully. Hibari looked at Yamamoto for an explanation. Put under the attention of the Head Prefect so suddenly, Yamamoto began to squirm uncomfortably. He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly and glanced at Kumiko. Kumiko didn't do anything but lower her gaze to the ground shyly.

"Well, um... how should I say this..."

"Just spit it out."

"She's mute."

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><p>AN: I'm hoping to move the plot along quickly, so bear with the rather boring bits now. Please review! Thanks to the two reviewers for the previous chapter: kirichancute and pyon-chan. I've already written the next chapter, but don't expect me to update so soon, partly because I'm waiting for more reviews and also partly because because I'm kind of busy with schoolwork too (I know it's winter break and all, but my teachers are evil when it comes to homework!).


	3. Silence

Disclaimer: I don't own Katekyo Hitman Reborn ^.^

Rating: T; there's probably going to be some bullying and abuse later on in the fic. Nothing too serious I hope XD

A/N: Hey guys! I'm trying to update regularly, but it's really hard with school getting in the way and all. Many, many thanks to all those who have reviewed, favorited and put my story on alert. I really appreciate the support! I'm moving the plot on more and hopefully it'll become more exciting soon XD Oh and, the italics represent Ten Years Later Hibari's memories. I hope I don't confuse anyone with their sudden appearance.

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><p>Silence<p>

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><p>"Mute?"<p>

"Yes, Kyo-san. She's mute." Kusakabe Tetsuya didn't dare breathe a word after that. Anyone could tell that Hibari was in a dangerously bad mood, and so he quickly excused himself on the idea that he was going to patrol the cafeteria. Hibari nodded absentmindedly, and Kusakabe slipped out the door with a sigh of relief.

Hibari Kyoya was currently back in his office, looking through Koizumi Kumiko's student file. After the incident a few minutes ago, he had stalked off angrily, leaving Yamamoto to help the traumatized girl to her feet.

Dismissing the thoughts of Koizumi Kumiko from his mind, Hibari shuffled impatiently through the stack of files in his cabinet, pulling out the one for the quiet girl. He glanced at her health information, and there it was, written in bold.

Height: 157 cm

Weight: 47 kg

Hair color: Brown

Eye color: Brown

Comments:** Is mute; class contribution points will not be accounted in her report card. Communicates through sign language and writing. Teachers please take note and don't question her about it when she doesn't speak in class...**

How could he have overlooked such important information? But that didn't explain how she was acting next on the riverbank. She had clearly spoke to the Ten Years Later Hibari, just before she...died. So that didn't give him any useful information either. Hibari suppressed a growl of irritation at the fruitless search results, and threw the papers onto his desk impatiently. The herbivore wasn't important.

He stalked to the rooftop and scooped up a handful of snow. Pressing it to his bruised face, he sat down slowly against the fence and stared blankly out towards the rest of the town. He felt a little lost and confused but he wasn't going to tell anyone, obviously.

* * *

><p>"Kumiko-san! Are you okay?"<p>

She nodded meekly in reply to Tsuna's question. Yamamoto laughed heartily and ruffled her hair.

"Don't take Hibari's actions too seriously, 'kay? He's just a bit riled up because of his wound. We don't even know who attacked him, so..." He chuckled once more and rubbed the back of his head with his free hand. "You know, Ryohei-sempai said that he was attacked by an invisible ghost. Scary, right?"

Kumiko smiled shakily and nodded in agreement. Yamamoto grinned back and grabbed her by the arm.

"Haha! How about we all go eat in the classroom? I brought some sushi to share, and it's too cold to eat on the rooftops. It's all covered in snow, you know?"

Kumiko shook her head gently and ushered for Yamamoto to join Tsuna and Gokudera, who was currently sending him death glares of irritation for making Jyuudaime wait. Yamamoto's smile faltered, and he sent her a curious look. She dug into her bag for a notebook and a pencil and scribbled hastily.

"_I have to go do something. Maybe next time. Thank you for the offer, Yamamoto-san."_

Yamamoto nodded in understanding and turned around, raising his hand lazily to wave goodbye. Tsuna and Gokudera had already walked off, talking about a person named Reborn. Kumiko sighed as she watched Yamamoto jog to catch up with them, staring after them wistfully. She won't deny that she wished she was normal, like others. She didn't want to be born this way, having a barrier in the way of her communicating with everyone else. Granted, she was lucky she could still make some noise.

The fangirls around her all simultaneously produced an angry snarling noise upon seeing her apparently 'checking Yamamoto out', and Kumiko quickly turned around. Feigning indifference while the fangirls went back to oggling at Gokudera and Yamamoto, she headed into her classroom and went to her locker. Upon opening the metallic cubicle, she placed her bag inside but kept her grasp on the pencil and notebook. After thinking for a minute, she grabbed a small cylindrical container and slammed the locker door shut.

She sat down slowly at her desk, a piece of paper spread out in front of her. She spends every lunchtime like this, sketching and just simply thinking. Except today was different. She had a question to answer for the Head Prefect. She willed herself not to be scared, and concentrated on the task at hand wholeheartedly. The more inconspicuous she made herself, the safer she felt.

* * *

><p>The cool wind wrapped around Hibari gently, encasing his body in a chilly barrier. He was both glad and unhappy that there was wind. For one, it cooled his bruised face and kept his mind clear, enabling him to run through his current predicament again and again. The bad thing was, it brought his body temperature down dangerously low. If he wasn't careful, he would get pneumonia again, and would have to visit the hospital once more.<p>

The door to the rooftop creaked open slowly. Hibari's head snapped up, glaring at the intruder. If it was Sasagawa Ryohei or Sawada's crowd of herbivores, he was seriously going to kill someone. When she stepped towards him, he couldn't help but widen his eyes in surprise slightly. He had predicted that the herbivore would be too scared to do anything after he had slammed her into a wall for no apparent reason. He had been ready to hunt her down tomorrow when nobody else was around and question her properly. But apparently he had underestimated this herbivore, as she was now willingly approaching him, albeit warily.

As soon as he shifted to stand up, she skittered backwards nervously. Hibari resisted the urge to scare her off altogether with his infamous death threat, but he needed some answers and he needed them now. So he stood still, and waited for the jittery girl to start approaching him once more. It was almost like a game between predator and prey, he mused. She was the prey and he was the predator, obviously, and the predator had to be patient in order to let the prey near him.

Her eyes met his, and he glared back into those brown orbs of hers. When she didn't react, he realized that her eyes were focused on half of his face only; namely, the bruised half. His hand clenched once more and he reached for his tonfas. If this herbivore dared to pity him, or even mention his injured state, it would be the ultimate humiliation. He would definitely punish her.

When she realized that she'd been unconsciously scrutinizing his face, she lowered her gaze, thoroughly embarrassed. She stepped forward, once, twice and handed a piece of paper and a cylinder to Hibari, who snatched them out of her hands quickly. She jumped back at the sudden coarse movement and retreated back into the stairwell.

Without wasting time, Hibari was already unfolding the piece of paper and reading what was inside. The contents of the letter made him scoff in indignation.

_Fuuki Iinchou Hibari-san,_

_Yesterday I stayed home and studied for the math test. I didn't do anything else! Really! Sorry I wasn't able to answer your question directly. I can't speak, as Yamamoto-san told you. I'd prefer less people to know and more to think that I choose to stay silent because I don't want people pitying me. The only people who know are the students of my class and the teachers, who will know once they read my profile._

_The container contains ointment for bruises. It helps more than ice, I think. _

_Sincerely, _

_Koizumi Kumiko_

Hibari stuffed the letter into his pocket and cracked open the lid of the bottle warily. The nurses had offered him some medicine from the hospital, but he had declined. However, the bottle seemed to contain something different. For one, it was more of a paste than the pills that he had been offered. He whiffed the substance cautiously. It gave off a minty tang, seeming to be some sort of remedial herbal cream. Dipping in a slender finger, he pulled out a bit and wiped it on a bigger bruised patch, waiting for some kind of reaction from his skin.

Pure instant relief washed over his face. The ointment didn't hurt at all.

* * *

><p>Tsuna and Gokudera slowly paced home, crisp snow crunching under their school shoes. Tsuna was strangely quiet and Gokudera was worried (as usual) about Jyuudaime.<p>

"Jyuudaime? Why are you so quiet?"

"Ah..um...Gokudera-kun! It's nothing...don't worry about it!"

Gokudera wouldn't take no for an answer, especially when it concerns his precious Jyuudaime.

"Jyuudaime! It's okay! You can tell me! OH I KNOW. IS IT ABOUT THAT TONFA BAST..."

Tsuna "Hiieee"ed and jumped up to place a hand on Gokudera's mouth, effectively stopping him from insulting the Demon of Namimori at full volume. You never know when Hibari might show up and start beating people up, so it's safer not to insult him altogether.

"Gokudera-kun! I'm just...agh. It's about Kumiko-san. Don't you feel sorry for her?"

"Sorry...for her? Why?"

"Well, you know...she's mute. Won't you feel sad if you were mute?" Tsuna laughed awkwardly and lifted a hand to comb it through his own hair nervously. Tsuna was so painfully caring of the others around him. Gokudera's eyes shined in devotion and reverence. Tsuna was truly a worthy boss to follow.

"Ciaossu."

"REBORN!" There goes Tsuna again, almost ripping out a handful of his fluffy hair in agitation at the appearance of his demonic teacher.

"Dame-Tsuna, why are you thinking so much about Koizumi Kumiko? Do you want to recruit her into the Family?" Reborn was always one to speak straight to the point anyway. Tsuna screeched in terror and started waving his hands around frantically.

"HIIIEEE! Reborn! Don't recruit random people! Her life is difficult enough! Can't we just be classmates?"

Reborn smirked at his pupil's panicking stance. "Hn. Well, I had no intentions of recruiting her anyway. She won't be of any use."

Gokudera nodded in agreement while Tsuna looked down. _That was quite a harsh way to put it. I'm glad Kumiko-san's not here to hear us talking about her like that. She'll probably be upset..._But still, a certain sense of relief settled his heart at Reborn's words. After all, Kumiko-san wouldn't be involved in their dangerous world.

It was safer for her this way.

* * *

><p>"<em>Kyoya?"<em>

"_Hn?"_

"_Why did you want me to join the your group? What's it called again? Vongola Family, isn't it? Strange name for a friendship group. And you're a guardian, right? What are you protecting?"_

"_..."_

"_Ne, answer me!"_

"_No."_

"_Are you glad I joined?"_

_**Yes.**_

"_Hn."_

"_You should speak more! It's no fun conversing with you if you're just going to sit there, sip your tea and read..."_

"_Be quiet, herbivore." He reached over and pulled her onto his lap. Her head rested just under his chin, making him smirk as she squirmed slightly to find a better position. He placed one hand on her hair, and kept the book grasped firmly in the other. She sighed, content with the position yet strangely disappointed. Her disappointment was quickly quelled when he brushed his lips against her forehead briefly._

_As far as cuddling went, this was all Hibari Kyoya was willing to go for the moment, but she was satisfied. _


	4. Discipline Versus Yakuza

Disclaimer: I don't own Katekyo Hitman Reborn! I only own my OC, Koizumi Kumiko, and Nakamura Kusuke...

Rating: T; fight scenes, bloody stuff...probably some swearing...

A/N: Hello again! Thank you too all those who have reviewed and put this story on alert, and all the people who have favorited this story! I'm hoping to move the plot along faster now, and I hope you guys enjoy the few twists I put into this story. Once again, I hope that my character is not too cliche and I hope that Mukuro and Hibari are not OOC.

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><p>Discipline Versus. Yakuza<p>

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><p>A thick, calloused hand gripped around the metallic window frame, pulling it open to let in fresh air. A punch came flying out of nowhere, knocking the man onto his back without warning. Gasps of shock went around the room as the man sat up with a wince, but then quickly doubled over again at a second punch aimed at his stomach.<p>

"Don't you dare do anything without my permission." A cruel smile followed the sentence as the man who spoke them enunciated each word with a kick. The victim of the beating was left gasping and whimpering on the floor, clutching his stomach in agony. The man collapsed into the leather chair by the desk, seemingly comfortable with his high position above everyone else. He clicked his fingers and pointed to the half opened window. "Open that." No less than three men rushed forward to do the job, two of them falling back sheepishly and quickly running to sit out of range of the man's hits.

"So, I hear that the commanding force of this town is a teenager called Hibari Kyoya. Hm?"

A soft murmur spread around the room at this statement. Of course it was true, yet nobody was willing to admit it. It was almost too embarrassing, the whole of the Momokyokai losing to a mere teenager. A teenager skilled at using tonfas, yes, but a teenager no less. The man on the chair snarled angrily at the lack of response from the occupants of the dark room and slapped the arm of his chair.

"ANSWER ME!" He roared.

There was a brief moment of silence, and then everyone began speaking at once. Many looked like they were going to wilt in fear, of the topic or in the gaze of their leader nobody was really sure.

"Nakamura-sama...It's true."

"Hibari Kyoya is a demon..."

"Tonfas..."

"...Broke all of Matsumoto's bones! Matsumoto's still in hospital!"

The man on the chair raised his hand for silence, and immediately the room ceased to host any more noise.

"He's a demon that uses tonfas?" Everyone nodded fearfully. They were pretty much as scared of Hibari Kyoya as they were scared of their current boss, Nakamura Yusuke. The normally cantankerous boss tapped his hand softly against the plush sofa. He then chuckled.

"Demon, huh? I want to see how strong that kid is..."

Immediately, protests bloomed out of the people that were sitting in front of him. Nakamura looked at his current group disdainfully. Their fear was pathetic. He ought to score the town for some more useful subordinates. At the current level these guys were at, they were barely able to last ten minutes in a fistfight against the competing Yakuza group in the next town over. Nakamura smirked at the thought. Expendable, they all were. But as tools...

He wasn't called a genius for nothing. He has a plan.

"SILENCE!" He commanded once more. His baritone voice rang through the crowd, instantaneously cutting off all protests of the supposed 'suicide mission'. He turned to look each and every one of them in the eye, staring at them with his steely gaze. His black pupils widened, and he sneered nastily at them, watching them cower before him like scared mice.

"I've...got a proposal, if you may. We're going to take over Namimori." The tension in the room built, so much that many skittered over to the door and almost walked out. If it weren't for the terrifying gaze of their boss pinning them to their places, they would have no doubt ran out and away from this acursed place. Unfortunately, Nakamura wasn't going to give them a choice.

"I will repeat. WE ARE GOING TO TAKE OVER NAMIMORI. I am _sick _and_ tired_ of hearing other Yakuza gangs laughing about our failures. The Momokyokai isn't weak and despicable, and we have no reason to bow down to someone as _weak and insignificant_ as this Hibari Kyoya. WE WANT THIS TOWN AS OURS."

He waited as the rest of the group took in his words. Before the onslaught of protests could fester, he held up his hand.

"Anyone who wants to back out of this little revolution, say so now."

Five people raised their hands shakily. Without blinking an eye, Nakamura whipped out a revolver and shot them cleanly through the heart. The rest of the gang gave alarmed cries at the sudden violence and skirted clear of the blood pooling on the floor.

"I'm going to think of a plan to ensure our success. We're going to have another meeting here; tomorrow at noon exactly. If anyone of you dare to be late, you'll end up like these shitheads." He kicked a former subordinate's dead body contemptuously, certain that his orders will be heeded without fail.

* * *

><p>Winter was leaving Namimori, and Hibari's wound was already gone from his face, the pain a faint memory in the back of his mind. His nose wasn't broken anymore, already firmly fixed back into place. In his eyes, he had stopped being weakened, and obviously didn't need anyone to pity him anymore.<p>

His quick recovery was partly attributed to the little concoction that the herbivore had offered him alongside her amusing letter. After Hibari realized that the medical ointment was actually working, he had taken to putting some on every night before he sleeps. Within a few days, he found that the bruises had all but disappeared, leaving only a light blemish of yellow across his cheeks. As of now, he was completely healed and devoid of all facial wounds.

And about his Ten Years Later incident: Hibari Kyoya had decided to leave the current confusing issue alone. He never saw his future self again since that incident on the first day by the riverbank, and he never saw Ten Years Later Koizumi Kumiko either. Which was just fine for him. He had to worry about keeping the discipline in Namimori, and he couldn't afford to continue pursuing some random figment of his imagination. Sasagawa Ryohei had been threatened into silence. Well, the passionate boxer hadn't promised anything except "EXTREME GHOSTS, HIBARI!" But Hibari was sure that Ryohei would leave the matter alone, because in a few days, Ryohei had forgotten about the matter altogether.

Hibari sat at his mahogany desk in the Disciplinary Committee office, twirling his pen absentmindedly while he looked over the semester reports of various students. _Sawada Tsunayoshi, pulling down the average of Namimori, as per usual. Gokudera Hayato...hm? Good grades, but atrocious behaviour in class. I ought to bite him to death..._

_But I can't be bothered._

Letting out a lazy yawn, he summoned Kusakabe with a flick of his fingers.

"Kusakabe Tetsuya, tell Gokudera Hayato to pay more attention in class and act more disciplined, otherwise I'll bite him to death. And I'll bite you to death should you fail my orders."

Kusakabe gulped. "Hai, Kyo-san!" Rushing out the room as if the devil itself was upon his heels, Kusakabe rounded the corner and disappeared. Hibari was left to his own devices, and he promptly decided to take a nap on the couch. Hibird was missing, but Hibari wasn't worried. He was sure that his bird friend would return whenever he liked. Like Hibari himself, Hibird preferred free reign, and Hibari wasn't about to deny that to his faithful companion.

He lay down on the couch, hands behind his head. Looking up at the ceiling, he noted that his office needed a new paint job. The ceiling was looking cracked and old. He decided that he could trust Kusakabe to take care of it tomorrow. Closing his eyes, he soon drifted off to sleep.

When his eyes cracked open again, the sun was setting behind the green hills in the distance. Everything was painted with a beautiful golden orange hue, and even Hibari stopped to admire the glowing aura of his cherished town. Nothing was amiss, and for that he was glad. Stifling another yawn, he decided that he would go on a patrol around the school. Just to see if there are any lagging herbivores, daring to stay after school when their activities had already finished. Enforcing discipline on Namimori Chuu was the most important.

* * *

><p>Lightly pacing down the stairs, he met nobody on the corridors. Upon reaching the second floor, he did a quick check of all the would save the third floor for last, because surely if there were any herbivores there, he would've been able to hear their incessant chatter while he was napping. Glancing in each of the doorways, he noted that all the desks were placed neatly. Reaching the 2A classroom, he growled lightly at the sight of Gokudera Hayato's seat placed haphazardly close to Sawada Tsunayoshi's. It seemed that Gokudera couldn't resist the urge to move his chair closer to Jyuudaime's. Normally, Hibari would've been more lenient on the seats, as long as nothing was greatly amiss in the classrooms he would be satisfied. However, he knew that there had been a year-wide mathematics test through classes 2A, 2B and 2C. Therefore, Gokudera would have most likely been helping Sawada cheat. Stalking angrily into the room, he pulled the table to it's originally straight position, and then scraped the chair over, tucking it under the wooden desk. Opening Gokudera's table, he grunted in displeasure at the sight of various candy and chip wrappers. Hibari wasn't about to clean up the mess for the hotheaded bomber, so he decided to leave him a nasty message to ensure his co-operation in the future.<p>

Hibari lifted Sawada Tsunayoshi's wooden desk. Wincing at all the 2% tests that he was faced with, he shoved all of Gokudera Hayato's candy wrappers and rubbish into Sawada Tsunayoshi's drawer. Once the rubbish was in place, he grabbed a pen from Gokudera's drawer and scribbled on a sheet of paper left in Tsuna's desk:

_Gokudera Hayato, if you do not clean up your mess, I'll bite you __**and**__ Sawada Tsunayoshi to death. If he can't control a poor herbivore subordinate such as you, he has no reason to be boss. _

Though he was quite aloof to the group, Hibari knew very well Gokudera's feelings towards being the right hand of Tsuna. Seeing the letter, Gokudera would most likely be shocked or angered into action. It now depends on what course of action he will take, though Hibari wouldn't mind so much either if Gokudera decided to hunt him down and 'blow him up'. It just meant that he got an extra opportunity to fight. Honestly, things here have been a bit too peaceful, and Hibari's barely restrained bloodlust was on the rise.

* * *

><p>A crash came from the ground floor, followed by excited hooting and screaming. Judging by the noise they were making, Hibari deduced that there was quite a big crowd gathered. Most likely former delinquents of Namimori Chuu, now in Namimori High, coming back to seek revenge or something as herbivorous as that. Either that, or they've decided to come vandalize the school. And of course, either way, Hibari Kyoya was going to enforce discipline upon them.<p>

His eyes narrowing dangerously, Hibari stalked to the ground floor, exciting the structure. His jacket fluttered majestically behind him, almost giving off a blood red sheen due to the darkening orange sky. The delinquents, most of whom were drunk, looked at him and wolf-whistled. Obviously, they didn't think he was much of a threat. Here was the group that had given Hibari Kyoya the most trouble when they attended Namimori Chuu. Through the various years they had been causing trouble, they had run in with Hibari, and were well aware of how he worked.

Hibari's eyes glinted dangerously. If he wasn't mistaken, there was a vulgar word currently being scrawled around the pristine white walls of Namimori. The culprit was a short haired tomboyish girl wearing a skimpy tank top and shorts, placed on top of the muscular shoulders of what appeared to be the second in command. Hibari's eyes swept over the ragtag group. Each person seemed more muscular than the other, showing that they were well accustomed to causing trouble. The scars on the guy's shoulders showed as much, and many of the other gang members were flexing their muscles and pulling out bats and a random arsenal of weapons in preparation for a fight.

Hibari Kyoya was definitely not one to give in easily either. He was surely not going to back off from a fight when his Namimori Middle was being threatened by this annoying crowd of degenerates. His tonfas were out in a flash, clutched firmly in both hands.

"I'll bite you to death!" He growled.

Hibari made the first move. Swinging his tonfas at the first person he could reach, he grinned sadistically as the tonfa connected with flesh. Seeing the harsh strike ripple through his opponent's arm and rendering it immobile, Hibari quickly attacked the other components of his opponent's body. Pretty soon, his first 'victim' or so to speak, was lying on the ground whimpering about the pain all over his body.

Hibari felt elated. It was so long since he had a challenging fight. Beating up the students of Namimori didn't feel this exhilarating, probably because they were all too weak to retaliate his blows. Weaving nimbly through the enemies that decided to throw themselves at him all together, he dodged blows and ducked under wayward punches.

Pretty soon, he realized that the fight had become a rhythmic ordeal. Duck, swing tonfa, slam into solar plexis. Hibari wasn't tired at all, yet his opponents were seemingly endless. One strong smash of the fist managed to slip past his guard and connect with his leg. Hibari stumbled but didn't fall, and he retaliated with a vicious crack to the skull. Finishing his opponent with a roundabout kick, Hibari glared at him as he flew backwards to connect painfully with the wall. Unfortunately, he lowered his tonfas ever so slightly. The scrawny little vandalizing tomboy took this opportunity to catch him with a face full of paint. Hibari raised his arm instinctively to wipe away the paint, and his opponent slyly slammed an elbow into his stomach. Hibari yelped in pain and stumbled back a few steps. He cracked open his eye in attempt to see properly, thoroughly irked by his opponent's cheating tactics in the fight. Paint dripped into his line of sight, sending spears of agony through his eye. He quickly closed it. It would be better to lose this fight than to lose his sense of sight, after all. But still, he was unsatisfied. He was furious. How dare they use such a guileful tactic against him?

He felt a punch hit him in the small of his back, and he feigned crumpling forward. His opponent crowed with victory, and Hibari sneered. They had fallen for his trap, hook, line and sinker. Once he could hear them, the fight was over. Hibari, of course, would not let something as simple as being unable to see stop him from biting his opponents to death.

A few more tonfa whacks, and the girl was lying unconcious on the floor. Hibari was panting, a slight sheen of sweat coating the back of his neck. Paint dripped from his hair and into his eyes, and he took the opportunity of a lull in the scrimmage to swipe it away impatiently. He was soon throwing himself back into the mess of things, beating everything and everyone he could reach. But even he could see that he was badly outnumbered. Somewhere between when he was sprayed and his beating up of the girl, someone had called for reinforcements. Apparently, this group was quite well known throughout Namimori, bonding together through dealings in alcohol and drugs. All the despicable things that were dirtying _his_ Namimori. With another enraged cry, Hibari found himself charging at them, tonfas spinning in a deadly manner. He parried a blow that came from his right, followed through with the impact and managed to slam his tonfa into the throat of a person on his left.

Suddenly, three of them decided to come leaping at him at once. Hibari coughed as one of them cuffed him roughly in the chest, whilst another chose to pull his hair back and chop a meaty hand into his throat. The brief action had him looking up for a while, and Hibari's sharp eyes caught movement from a third floor window, and his ears strained to hear the quiet cheeping of Hibird.

"Hibari, Hibari!"

A knee was rammed into his stomach painfully, and Hibari mustered his strength to break the offending appendage, sending his opponent howling and spinning away. As someone dared to slap his back, Hibari dragged himself upwards and sent his tonfas crashing down onto the man's head. He decided that he should finish it the fight once and for all, even if it meant he had to go through 60 more rowdy gang members in a second.

But he wasn't entirely alone. Hibird chirped as it floated down to beat in his face, effectively driving him backwards. "Hibari!" Hibird cheeped. Even though Hibird was keeping him from biting his opponents to death, Hibari couldn't bring himself to raise a hand against the little creature. He was sure that it had some sort of motive in driving him back.

That motive became clear when 6 buckets of paint crashed down from the third floor, landing somewhat accurately in the midst of the squabbling gang. Hibari raised his tonfas and grinned, seeing that his opponents were all currently unable to see. He didn't question who had thrown the buckets, but he would be sure to find out tomorrow in school. He didn't leave debts unpaid anyway.

Turning back to his opponents, he chuckled as he saw them mewling in distress and clawing at their eyes. Such weak herbivores.

Rushing towards them, he attacked. He had a school to keep safe, after all.

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><p>AN: Hey everyone! I'm thinking of updating once every week from now on. Partly because school's starting soon so I won't be able to update as frequently. I've already written the next chapter too, but I've decided to wait for more reviews before updating. Sorry if I'm being pushy, but honestly, I really can't tell if my story is being received well or not, I would just really appreciate if you guys drop in a word or two about how you think it's going. As I've mentioned, I'm not really that confident of my writing so it really would mean a lot to me. Thanks so much to **xXBloodyIllusionXx**, **kirichancute**, **mirageseason132**, **666AnimeFan666** and **Bree Renee** for taking the time to review. I really appreciate your supportive comments and I'm really sorry for making you guys wait another week before my update...


	5. Insecurity

Disclaimer: I don't own any of Amano Akira's characters! I only own my OCs.

Rating: T; the plot is thickening, and more brutality is probably on the way...

A/N: We haven't heard from Mukuro yet...but not to worry, he's well on the way to crashing this party. Lets start off with some angst! Yay! Oh and thanks for all the reviews! And all who have favorited and alerted. I'm really REALLY happy that you guys appreciate this story! And I'm glad you like the plotline too XD Sorry for a bit of OOCness from both Mukuro and Hibari. I mean, it would be OOC of either of them to show such strong emotions anyway, since the two of them are practically impervious to grief. But I hope it's effective to the plot...

* * *

><p>Insecurity<p>

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><p><em>Hibari stared at his tonfas. He couldn't believe that he had just done something so reckless as to smash it into the face of his younger self. It was careless, but he was just so angry. He was angry at his own failures, and he couldn't help himself from feeling the need to release all that anger somehow, through hurting himself indirectly. The look on his younger self had been so...satisfying. He was a monster.<em>

_Hibari tucked his tonfas back into his shirt and took a few steps away from her body. His eyes pooled with unshed tears. He wasn't crying, and he wasn't going to cry. In fact, he willed himself to believe that he didn't even feel like he was grieving for her. But as soon as his eyes fell upon that fragile form, lying in a discriminating puddle of red, his eyes would blur. He wasn't crying, he told himself. Yet he knew he wasn't being honest with himself. _

_Nonetheless, he needed to get rid of the evidence. It wouldn't be disciplined, nor good for the reputation of Namimori to just leave a dead body lying there. Fortunately, his Disciplinary Committee, the one that he'd built up so proudly, and is now called the Foundation, is skilled in the art of getting rid of murder evidence. No member of the Vongola was ever going to go to jail as long as the Foundation is there to clean up after them, least of all their beloved leader Hibari Kyoya. All it took was a flick of his wrist, a press of a button and a few choice words. _

_No less than three minutes later, Kusakabe was seen hovering over the scenario, carefully lowering a black bag down to him. He took it gingerly, and then paced back to where she lay. He placed the bag on the floor, making sure to step on one end of it to keep it in place so as not to let the wind from the helicopter blow it away. He kneeled down, and then gently took her into his arms once more. Her eyes were closed, those brown orbs that he had come to love hidden from the world. Hidden from him. He stared at her for a second, almost willing her to part her lips and whisper his name gently, as she had done so so many times when they'd lain together in bed._

_She didn't, and part of him was guiltily glad. It wouldn't be right. Ever so carefully, he placed her into the bag. Using one hand, he gently pushed her brown bangs away from her face, wanting to see her clearly one last time. And then he knew that his goodbyes were said. His face hardened into one of indifference, and he zipped the bag up with no hesitation. Tossing it casually up into Kusakabe's waiting arms, he surveyed the scene. The shot she had taken had caused quite a mess, though it definitely wasn't going to be as messy as if he'd beaten her to death with his precious tonfa. _

_He looked up at Kusakabe, who nodded in acceptance at the task ahead of him. Someone had to mop up the blood left on the floor after all, and Hibari would rather not be the one doing such a dirty job. Hibari chose to go back to Vongola Mansions. For the first time in years, Hibari found the need to turn to the burning taste of sake. _

_But of course, life never goes the way you want it too. Hibari hadn't taken more than 5 steps towards his room than he was stopped by a pestering mist guardian. Mukuro was glaring steadily at him, well aware of Kumiko's disappearance from his side. Half of Mukuro already knew what had happened, after all, Kumiko had come to say goodbye to him. As nothing more than a friend. She couldn't even bring herself to brush her lips against his cheek in farewell, seeing as she was that devoted to her skylark. _

_The other half couldn't accept it. _

_And so he stood, barring the Cloud Guardian's way, determined to get some answers for himself. But the first question that came out of his mouth surprised both of them:_

"_...What were her last words?"_

_Hibari turned away. "I'm still scared...Just do it..." His voice was strained, a poor echo of her melodious whispers, but that was sufficient for Mukuro. _

_Without warning, Mukuro's fist connected with Hibari's cheek. Said skylark sprang back, hissing in anger, yet he didn't raise a hand against the pineapple haired male. He knew he deserved it. Besides, he couldn't bring himself to do so, not when tears were running down the mist guardian's face in such a painfully obvious way. Mukuro loved her. Probably as much as, or even more than he had loved her himself. But she never returned his feelings, and had gone for him in the end. _

_He almost didn't deserve her love. Almost. _

"_YOU BASTARD! Why...why didn't you...you should've stilled your hand! If she was scared, why follow through...why kill her..."_

_Mukuro was sobbing quietly now. He didn't care anymore, his usually calm and collected facade was broken anyway. He never wanted her to be scared, and he was confident that he would've protected her better than Hibari. He must be heartbroken, Hibari mused, to show his weakness in front of his greatest enemy, and yet Hibari himself couldn't ignore anguish in his heart, buried beneath layers and layers of coldness. Another blow landed squarely against Hibari's chest, the weight of years of sadness and waiting making it actually hurt. Hibari didn't do anything. And then Mukuro was turning away, ignoring Chrome's mental calls. _

_For days later, none of the other Vongola guardians saw either hide or hair of both men. That is, until her funeral. They showed up, standing on either side of her coffin, never lifting their heads to meet each other's eyes._

_Both of them had their own guilt to deal with, after all. _

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><p>Hibari surveyed the scene before him. It was a mess of blood and paint, a cacophony of jumbled colors pooling into each other. Red mixed with white and black and orange and blue and the list goes on and on...<p>

Part of him was strangely satisfied at the mess. It had been a while since he could go all out and destroy such a big crowd of herbivores. Another half of him was understandably furious at the mess that was made on the floor. It would take days for the Disciplinary Committee to clean up, and the herbivores at the school would most likely start spreading rumors about the battleground and he would have to discipline them all over again before they ruined the reputation of Namimori Chuu. And still, there was that scribbled swearword to cover up, before the teachers come in tomorrow.

First thing first, he decided, he was going to find the culprit who threw the paint out of the third floor window. And he was going to make him or her clean up the mess on the floor, at least until Kusakabe came back with reinforcements, because he highly doubted that a single person would be able to finish scrubbing the floor in a day. And he was going to get rid of the contaminating word on the wall himself, using white paint. Glancing up, he saw that he wasn't the only one surveying the scene. The head that had been stuck out of the art room window quickly popped back inside. Hibari narrowed his eyes. So that was the culprit! Some small, scared herbivore... He headed up to the art room.

Upon reaching the designated door, Hibari pulled it open swiftly.

The room was empty.

He growled in irritation. The herbivore had run off before he could do anything. It wasn't like he was going to beat the herbivore senseless, obviously. In a way (he didn't want to admit it directly), he owed the herbivore one for turning the battle favor towards him. But of course he or she would run off. The whole Namimori population was scared of him. Hibari didn't let the herbivore's sudden disappearance deter him from his current mission, which was to obtain some white paint and cover over the vulgarity on the Nami-Chuu walls. He weaved his way through various canvases, seeing the bucket placed at the very back of the room, near the window. He chuckled, understanding that the paint thrower had simply tipped over some buckets in order to help him. Streaks of multi-colored paint marked the still open window.

Hibari slipped slightly and knocked into a painting. He stared at it. It was a full color blown up image of Hibird, painted eloquently with beautifully precise shades of yellow, blue and white. The blue sky dotted with wispy white clouds behind the painting's object of focus was striking, yet complementing the bird at the same time. Hibird fluttered up to Hibari's shoulder, surveying the painting with his own beady little black eyes.

"Hibari! Hibari!" Hibird chirped, and then started singing the Namimori Anthem. Hibari felt a bit calmer at hearing the school's anthem, and he lightly stroked the bird's head with one slender finger. Hibird nuzzled into the touch, chirping happily.

Hibari looked at the hand that had accidentally brushed against the painting. It was smeared with a smattering of blue and yellow. So that meant that the painting hadn't dried yet. The painting must've been what the herbivore was working on. Hibari smirked. The painting was going to waste if it were displayed in the art room, next to other, less impressive works. Besides, his own office could use some furnishing...

He lifted the painting carefully off of it's canvas, Hibird chirping his approval on his shoulder all the while. He walked slowly back to his office, contemplating the correct position for this masterpiece. The white paint and mess was forgotten for the moment.

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><p>Koizumi Kumiko breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing Hibari walk the opposite way on the corridor. Ever since she had entered Namimori Middle, she had found a sense of pleasure in going to the art room when it wasn't busy with students putting final touches on their work, simply sitting down and pulling out a blank canvas to draw whatever she liked. The teachers didn't mind, in fact, many of them had walked in on her secret and had complimented her enthusiasm and meticulous work.<p>

It was only fair, after all, that she expressed herself visually since she couldn't do so audibly. Every time she lifted that paintbrush to press it to the canvas, she couldn't help but smile, seeing her resulting strokes spin into fantastic paintings. One thing she was certain about; she couldn't let Hibari know about her staying after school. She'd get thrown out, and most likely lose access to her precious art room.

She had been painting Hibird this afternoon, the little bird perched curiously and patiently on the windowsill, simply content to watch her work. Suddenly, noises of a fight came from the ground floor, which Kumiko could distinctly pick out even though the window was closed. Because she was mute, her brain compensated for that by enhancing her hearing. So she'd opened the window to look down at what was happening.

Even she was enraged as she saw what was being done to the school. She wasn't a huge fan of the school. In fact, nobody was, except for Hibari obviously. Yet she'd still felt anger at how they were carelessly drawing all over the structure, uncaring of the current students' feelings towards having their place of education marred in such a way. And here was Hibari, facing off against more than 50 delinquents at once singlehandedly, with a dogged purpose to simply protect his territory.

So she'd decided to help him by throwing a few buckets of paint out the window. She no doubt thought that he would be angry if he found out that it was her that did so, but still...It seemed even more wrong to just leave Hibari outnumbered so. And they weren't conveniently attacking him one by one. Ten or twenty of them were jumping at chances to strike Hibari, and yet he was holding out quite well, that is, until the girl sprayed paint into his eyes.

Kumiko smiled. The irony. Paint versus paint, huh? So she gently nudged the bird and pointed to his master, and then gestured to the tower of paint behind her. Hibird chirped in understanding and floated down. As soon as Hibari was out of range, Kumiko shoved the tower of paint, feeling a rare sense of fulfillment upon seeing the delinquents scatter with the resulting colorful rain, paint in their eyes.

_Now we're even!_

But now it had turned into a game of cat and mouse with the prefect. She was glad that she could be quiet when she wanted to, as she sat with her back pressed against the wall, waiting with bated breath for the Fuuki Iinchou to turn the corner and disappear. Once he was gone, she scrabbled back into the room to grab her bag, and then shamelessly ran in the opposite direction of the disciplinary committee office.

She forgot completely about her painting.

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><p>A day came and went, and the scared Yakuza members found themselves trudging hesitatingly back to their hideout to face the terrifying Nakamura. Said boss was residing in the chair nonchalantly, his eyes piercing each member as if daring them to misbehave in front of him. When nobody dared to move, they all sat down on the cold cement reluctantly, waiting for the boss to speak.<p>

Nakamura tossed his wrist back and surveyed his watch face with slanted eyes. A few of these imbeciles were late, he decided. In front of the whole group, he picked up his revolver and started loading the bullets inside one at a time.

_Click._

_Click._

_Click._

_Click._

A total of 4 bullets went inside the gun, after which he quickly snapped the cartridge shut and pointed it at the door, sneering at the rest of the cowering group. Some had even dared to move away from the door, knowing that blood would surely spray from this encounter.

The door slammed open, and the safety catch was clicked off. Nakamura's finger tightened on the trigger, his face displaying a cruel smile. Four young men tumbled into the room, a drunken odor around them and paint splashed all over their bodies.

Without hesitation, Nakamura shot the first one in the chest, the second one through the heart and the third one through the forehead. The fourth one was cowering on the floor, trying desperately to hide behind one of his friends. Said friend was pushing him away just as frantically, knowing that he might be in the line of fire. Nakamura smiled. His nefarious doings had led the whole Momokyokai group to turn into one of a 'killed or be killed' arena. Which was just the way he liked it.

"Hm...Tell me, you pathetic bastard, where were you?"

The man squeaked and tried to fold himself further behind his friend, who had given up on pushing him away and was slowly trying to inch away from the scared man himself. Stuttering, the fourth young man stood up slowly, eyes cast straight forward and unwilling to shift towards the three other dead people on the floor.

"I-I, our gang d-d-decided t-to go v-vandalize N-n-namimori Middle! B-but we lost to H-hibari Kyoya..." He then launched into a series of incoherent pleas for his life to be spared. Nakamura turned away and lowered his gun, seemingly complying, and the young man grovelled at his foot in evident relief. As soon as he looked up, however, Nakamura raised the gun and shot him in the stomach, leaving him to scream, twitch and bleed in agony, eventually to pass away with blood loss.

"Alright. So, as I've promised, I've devised a plan to get rid of this...demon. With tonfas." He chuckled.

"I've called for the help of one of the best assassins there are in the world. Come out now, sweetheart." A figure in the shadows moved, and then stepped into the light. The occupants of the room couldn't help but sweep their eyes from the person's head to toe, evidently enjoying the stunning figure of the girl. She looked to be no more than fifteen.

"This is the assassin known as Silent Slayer." The girl nodded and smiled, her smile seemingly innocent. At the back of the room, someone dared to wolf whistle, and Nakamura turned to glare at the man.

"We are not using her to kill Hibari Kyoya. What's the fun in that? She could easily slip a knife into his heart when he's sleeping. But I personally want to see how the demon reacts to the turn of events, when the time comes of course." Nakamura wrapped his arm around Silent Slayer's waist, drawing her closer. She perched willingly on the side of his chair, smirking at the rest of the group and fiddling with the revolver she was handed with. "So...we are going to introduce her to Namimori Chuu as a transfer student from..." He tilted his head in contemplation. "America?" Turning to her, he whispered seductively into her ear:

"Tell me, honey, do you speak English?"

"Better than you ever can." She replied flippantly before shoving his face away from her neck. Nakamura paled ever so slightly at the gun that was turned on him.

"You. You are not allowed to touch me. Never forget that it would take me a mere fraction of a second to end your pathetic life. You give me the task, I do it, then you pay me. That's all there is to it." Nakamura nodded sharply.

"Of course, sweetheart." He drawled, glaring at her out of the corner of his eyes. She smiled angelically back at him and perched tantalizingly close to him on the sofa. He chuckled. It seems like she liked to mess with minds as much as he did. Perfect.

"As I was saying, we are going to introduce her to Nami-Chuu. And then we need a hostage. Preferably a weak little girl. We'll take a slow and tactical approach, threatening her one step at a time. We'll see how it plays out afterwards. Knowing Hibari Kyoya, he would probably run to the rescue as soon as he identifies that students of his school are under attack. So." He turned to the assassin. "Do you have your disguise and a target in mind?"

"I'm more of an improvise everything girl. But I've got a name thought up. From now on, I'll be known as Komatsu Tsubaki." She stood up and smiled mockingly, bowing deeply. "Nice to meet you, everyone."

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><p>AN: Thanks for all the supportive reviews! You guys supported me and kept me going with your responses, and that's why I decided to post early. So here are the credits! A big THANK YOU! to reviewers who reviewed chapter 4: **TamakiLikesShinyThings, xXBloodyIllusionXx, Mely (anonymous reviewer) **and** JapaneseDeer**

Oh and Mely, in answer to your review: Of course I don't mind! In fact, I should be thanking you for advertising my fic XD The more people who read and appreciate my work, the more confident and willing I am to write. Thank you for your awesome review!


	6. Innocent Clash

Disclaimer: I don't own Katekyo Hitman Reborn! I only own the OCs that I've made up in this story...XD  
>Rating: T; more violence, conspiracy, revolution...swearing, hostage taking...the list goes on and on!<br>A/N: Thanks so much for the support that you've shown for this fic! I'm really excited about posting now because all of you guys give such awesome reviews. I hope you guys are as excited about reading this story as I am about writing it. Once again, thanks to all those who have reviewed, favorited, put this story on alert. I honestly want you guys to know that I really appreciate your support...

And so...let's carry on with the story, shall we?

Read and review please! :)

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><p>Clash<p>

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><p>Kumiko jogged up to the school. She really needed to get to the art room. Her teacher had said that she didn't turn in her artwork. Her original painting that she wanted to turn in as her piece showing the theme 'Nature' had gone missing. And so she wanted desperately to draw another replica, or even just take few photos of nature before her art class starts, so that she could at least get a passing grade. Of course she was well aware where her artwork had gone, but she was too chicken to actually go up to Hibari Kyoya and ask for it back. Besides, then he'll know that she was the one who had thrown the paint out the window.<p>

Her steps became more frantic as a few students started trickling into the school premises. Running up to the cherry trees, she decided that a few quick snapshots of the beautiful trees (though quite bare) would suffice. She placed her camera in position, and snapped one of a perfectly balanced, newly grown leaf. In fact, it was quite a beautiful shot, and Kumiko yearned to put it on canvas with splashes of acrylics and maybe a touch of oil paint.

As she scurried to the art room to print it out, she was surprised to see another person there. It was a girl, with flowing dark hair and golden brown eyes. She was tall, too, and quite slim in figure. She's strikingly beautiful, and everything a girl would wish to be. Perfect. Almost perfect, Koizumi amended, if it weren't for the fact that her smile looked so..._fake_. Kumiko gazed up at her, slightly stunned by her appearance. She was sure that nobody in Namimori looked like that. So it must be a...

"Hello, I'm a new transfer student here. Care to show me around? I'm kind of lost here."

Even her voice was mesmerizing. Almost a low, seductive purr. Kumiko nodded, but as soon as she'd heard the girl's voice, she decided that she was tired of the girl's perfections. She wanted away from her. So she didn't say anything (not like she could anyway) and clutched her camera to her chest, trotting away from the art room. The girl followed her closely, turning her head to look around curiously every few seconds or so.

She suddenly spoke: "Hey! My name is Komatsu Tsubaki. What's yours?"

Kumiko squinted at her warily, before turning away to ruffle through her bag to find her ever present notebook and pencil. Komatsu stood over her with crossed arms, before reaching out to pat her on the head.

"Hey, you're a quiet one. Why don't you speak up? I don't bite you know!" She chuckled at the notion, and Kumiko quirked a smile at the irony as she saw a patrolling Hibari look curiously in their direction at the word 'bite'. He shook his head and walked away, seemingly uninterested at their interactions. Kumiko finally grasped her notebook, and pulled it out, writing her name and the reason why she 'is a quiet one' neatly, before presenting it to the girl before her.

Komatsu took it with raised eyebrows, and then read the lines swiftly. As soon as she'd read the words 'I'm mute', her face twisted into one of sincere understanding. Kumiko was taken aback at the look of such a real emotion on the previously phony looking nice girl earlier on.

Komatsu grabbed her by the arm and led her into the 2A classroom. When Kumiko sent her a questioning glance, Komatsu grinned and explained: "Oh, I'm joining your class, you know. I saw your name on the roster outside on the billboard."

Sitting the poor confused girl down, Komatsu continued to explain. "You can use sign language with me, you know. I have a cousin that's mute too, so she signs to me and I've learnt to understand it through the years spent with her."

Kumiko hesitatingly shaped her hands into a few signs, and Komatsu laughed at her. "No, I don't think you're weird. There's no reason to think you are, even if you're mute, okay? My goodness, you're so cute. You're like the smaller sister I've always wanted to have, except probably less annoying because you can't talk. I like that." She turned to Kumiko and laughed lightheartedly, and Kumiko couldn't help but smile back at her.

Maybe she's nice. Maybe, just maybe, she's found a new friend.

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><p>"So, class, we have a transfer student here today! She transferred from a school in America. Please welcome her into the class and make sure to be nice to her!"<p>

Komatsu strode into the classroom with a confident smirk. The class sent out mixed gasps of delight and jealously, and then everyone turned to Kumiko as Komatsu sent Kumiko a wink. Feeling so many eyes turned on her, Kumiko whimpered and shrank deeper into her chair shyly. She was rarely the center of attention, and was really quite glad when Komatsu began her introductions.

"Hello everyone! My name is Komatsu Tsubaki. You can call me Tsubaki. Nice to meet you all, and please be good to me!"

The class let out an applause, and the teacher directed Komatsu to the chair next to Kumiko's seat, much to her delight. Komatsu signed to her:

_"Exciting, isn't it? Even if I'm Japanese, this is the first time I've been to a Japanese local school!"_

Kumiko nodded back at her and ducked her shyly as a bunch of boys decided to approach Komatsu with questions. As per usual, the boys didn't spare her a glance, flocking around the new girl instead.

"So, Tsubaki-chan! Where did you go to school before?"

"Do you play any sports? You look really athletic!"

"What activities do you like?"

"Did you have a boyfriend?"

Komatsu pouted cutely and placed a finger on her lips. "Hmm...Let me see. I went to school in Coraldine Girl's School in San Francisco. I do kendo, actually. Um...I like painting? I like singing and dancing too. I don't have a boyfriend..."

The boys all held their breath at the last sentence, eyes shining with comical hope. Kumiko giggled at the sight of them fawning over her, and Komatsu turned to give her a smirk. "Do you like painting too, Kumiko? We can both paint after school. Together. How about that?" Kumiko nodded vigorously and Komatsu smiled gently at her and patted her head.

_Stupid, stupid girl. You're falling for it...why don't I make you the hostage? You're going to be perfect. In fact, you can't even cry for help..._

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><p>Behind her, Sawada Tsunayoshi was currently in a deep discussion with Reborn. Suddenly, the infant hitman lifted his fedora and glanced casually around the room. He was a top notch hitman after all, it would be pitiful of him not to have noticed the malicious intent from somewhere in the room. He frowned, confused for a second. It had disappeared as quickly as it'd come.<p>

"Reborn?" Tsuna questioned hesitatingly. "What are you looking for?"

"Hn. Nothing, Dame-Tsuna. Just some potential assassins."

"HIIIIIIIEEEEEEE!"

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><p>Hibari surveyed his newly furnished Disciplinary Committee office carefully. The ceiling was painted over, giving off a strong smell of acrid whitewash which made him feel like wrinkling his nose. The Hibird painting was carefully hung in the middle of one of the walls, looking striking against the austere whiteness of the walls. Simple, neat and newlooking. Hibari allowed himself a sigh of satisfaction at his survey. All was well.<p>

Except for the knock at his door.

"Hn?" He looked to the door in irritation. Kusakabe Tetsuya was sent to patrol school premises no more than 3 minutes ago, so there was no reason for _anyone_to be knocking on his door.

"Come in." He growled. His frown deepened when he saw a tall, dark-haired girl flounce into the room. She smiled coyly at him, and he glared at her. Undeterred, she looked around the room. Hibari decided to speak first, for want of getting rid of her presence.

"What do you want?"

He had already identified her as the new transfer student. She'd probably come in looking for directions.

"You're Hibari Kyoya right? The head disciplinarian here?"

He grinned sadistically. Maybe this herbivore needs some disciplining. He whipped out his tonfas and looked at her expectantly. Unlike most herbivores, this one didn't seemed at all shocked with the appearance of his weapons. Instead, her hands went to wrap around something small tucked into her skirt waistband. Hibari raised his eyebrow at the sight of a pocket knife. "Weapons are not allowed on school premises. I'm an exception," He assured her after following her questioning gaze to his tonfas. Holding out his hand, he nodded at the pocket knife gripped tightly in hers. When she made no move to comply, he growled in warning and tightened his hold on his tonfas.

"Ah...sorry...I'd just prefer...to k-keep it around. Because, you know..." She looked away with a blush across her face. Hibari stared stonily at her, then walked forward and snatched it away. She shrieked in protest as he slapped it down into his drawer and then closed it securely. Turning around, he sent her a smirk.

"This school is disciplined. You have no need for weapons here."

She smiled shakily back at him. "So, um...where's the kendo club?"

He'd already sat down at his desk, his tonfa gone back to who knows where. "On the ground floor, in the compound next to the boxing club." He didn't even look up from where he was furiously writing something on his desk. Komatsu sent him a smile anyway. Her hand crept to her pocket, fingers wrapping around the handle of a small pistol.

_It would be so simple. Just take it out, shoot him in the head. Nakamura pays me and I leave this accursed place. I don't even have to play by his rules..._

A patter of footfalls could be heard coming from the corridor. Both Komatsu and Hibari raised their heads, watching as the short brown haired girl rounded the corner. She panted and then grimaced upon seeing the head prefect glaring at her. Quickly grabbing Komatsu's hand, she bowed to him in apology, and then started signing to the taller girl, who chuckled at the messages.

Hibari narrowed his eyes.

_"It's okay, I'll show you to the kendo room! Hibari-san's usually really grumpy so you shouldn't go bother him, okay? Otherwise he'll bite you to death..."  
><em>  
>"Koizumi Kumiko. Are you calling me grumpy?"<p>

The poor girl started and then blushed, embarrassed. She waved her hands frantically around, and then bowed again in apology. Tugging on Komatsu's sleeve, they quickly escaped out of his line of sight. Hibari sighed and looked back down at his work. A small movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention, but it was only Hibird, hovering around the painting. He stood up to inspect it once more. Etched gently into the corner was the signature of the artist. He smirked upon seeing 'Koizumi Kumiko'.

So he's finally caught the paint thrower.

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><p>For the second time this week, Koizumi Kumiko found herself shoved against the wall roughly, a furious head prefect threatening her with his tonfas. She squeaked and looked around. Even Komatsu wasn't around to help her. The taller girl had gone to the library to return a book, leaving Koizumi to her own devices. Kumiko whimpered as the grip on her shoulder tightened. There was no Yamamoto to save her this time either.<p>

"So. Herbivore, explain what you were doing in the art room yesterday. School hours had finished, so you have no right to be there."

She signed frantically back to him.

_"I was working on my art project! Sensei said that we had to hand it in the next day, so I wanted to finish it and put some final touches on it..."_

"Then why did you throw the paint?"

She looked away. _"...Because it wasn't fair."_

If possible, Hibari's grip tightened even more. More than anything, he hated people pitying him, whether it was his medical situation or about the odds in _his _fights. His snarl became a deadly whisper, and the tonfa started scraping across the base of her neck, occasionally pressing against the skin. Kumiko bit her lip and raised her hands once more. _"You had to fight against 60 people! And then somebody cheated and threw paint in your eyes! So it wasn't fair, was it? I just threw paint to make it fair!"_

To her surprise, Hibari seemed to accept her explanation. He lowered her so that her feet was touching the ground once more, and sent her a blank look when she sighed in relief.

"You will stay after school today to finish cleaning up the mess made on the playground. And from now on, you are no longer allowed to go to the art room after school..."

She looked up at him woefully. She had expected it, of course. But still, it hurt. The art room was the only place where she could express her feelings freely.

"...Unless I am on school premises. Understand?"

Her eyes widened and she nodded vigorously at him. He turned to walk away, but a tugging motion on his jacket sleeve stopped him. Kumiko grabbed his hand in a feat of daring action, and quickly scribbled the kanji for 'thank you' on the back of his hand. Tilting her head up to shoot him a grateful smile, she then jogged away happily.

Hibari smirked softly to himself. He had a debt to repay, after all.

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><p><em>Mukuro walked along the corridors of Namimori Chuu. He'd only ever seen this place through Chrome's eyes, and he delighted himself in placing his hands against the whitewashed walls and feeling the coolness of the surface.<em>

_According to one of the notices on the billboard he'd just passed, he was in the Namimori Chuu of ten years ago. His eyes glimmered as he caught sight of a girl jogging happily down the hallways, and the retreating back of the sadistic tonfa wielding prefect. _

_His eyes softened ever so slightly. He'd unknowingly come back to a time when she was still alive. Though, Mukuro wasn't sure whether he was actually that naive. It could be a subconscious command. He missed her and wanted to see her again, so his mind brought him here._

_Walking up to her, he placed one hand on her shoulder. He knew she couldn't see or feel him. Bending down, he whispered into her ear._

_"Why did you leave me, Kumiko?"_

_The girl jerked in surprise, and he in turn stumbled backwards in shock. It wasn't possible, he told himself. She shouldn't be able to hear him. He decided to test his theory again. Obviously it was just some weird coincidence. _

_"I'll always be there for you, Kumiko. Don't ever, ever forget that. Even when skylark fails, I'll be there..."_

_Again, the girl whirled. Her face took on a scared and shocked expression. She opened her mouth but no sound came out. Of course, Mukuro chuckled to himself. Ten years earlier Kumiko is still mute..._

_He raised his head and saw that the younger Hibari was staring at him in something akin to horror. The expression quickly morphed into one of extreme anger, and Mukuro decided that it was time for him to leave. Just as the current Head Prefect decided to stalk down the corridor towards the girl, Mukuro vanished with a quirky wave of his hand. _

_He promised himself that he would come back. As soon as he could, anyway. _

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><p>AN: I'm getting wonderful reviews. Thanks so much to **xXBloodyIllusionXx, kirichancute, mirageseason132 **and** 666AnimeFan666**. I am forever grateful for your supportive comments. I'm really happy with the response I got for the previous chapter, so I'm posting early again! I might even switch to posting twice a week instead of just once. I really love posting too...There's something immensely satisfying about pressing the 'Add Chapter' button. And I really love reading your reviews, everyone!

Thanks to those who favorited and alerted as well ^.^


	7. Company

Disclaimer: I don't own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. All I own are my OCs.  
>Rating: T; swearing, bullying...unjustified killing of random poor OCs. Who have around 3 minutes of appearance time in this fic. I hope nothing has become too violent...<p>

A/N: DOUBLE UPLOAD! Sorry TT^TT I couldn't help it...

Okay! Sorry for any confusion, but time is starting to get screwed up royally in this fic. The italics are what is happening to the ten years later characters, sorry for any confusion. But I guess if you read this chapter, you'll understand...I hope anyway XD

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><p>Company<p>

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><p><em>Hibari looked into the mirror, tightening his tie one last time. Behind him, he could hear the Tenth Vongola boss freaking out about something again, as per usual. Dino Cavallone was with him, trying his best to calm down the panicking Vongola Don. <em>

_Today was the day when Tsuna was getting married to the girl of his dreams. Sasagawa Kyoko was all dressed up in a beautiful white dress for the big event, her friends Haru, Hana, Ipin and Chrome were all behind her, helping her fasten the traditional white train to her dress. Hibari glanced at the five of them, and felt a pang in his chest. _

_He couldn't help but wonder what it would've been like if Kumiko were still here. She would be there with the girls, giggling at how beautiful Kyoko looked and twirling in her own bridesmaid dress. She would be pouring drinks with Yamamoto, trying her hardest not to spill a drop. She would be worriedly combing Tsuna's hair, saying that it's too poofy. She would be arguing with Gokudera about whom should be the one playing the wedding march, and then they'd finally settle on doing a harmonious duet. _

_She would be next to him, tightening his tie and reassuring him that the wedding was going to be fairly quick, and that she would leave with him before the party afterwards if he wanted her to. She would be casting worried glances between him and Mukuro, trying her hardest not to yell at Mukuro to stop staring at her, because she's taken. _

_He turned away and focused on brushing away minute specks of dust on his suit. Mukuro leant on a wall across the room, staring at the ground at his feet. Hibari knew that Mukuro was thinking of her too. _

_The wedding passed in a blur. Hibari himself played no big part in it, only giving a brief nod of approval when the couple stood at the alter looking proudly at the audience. Immediately after the couple were declared husband and wife, Hibari left. Kusakabe was waiting outside for him loyally, and Hibari slid smoothly into the car. Kusakabe pulled out of the driveway without even being told where to go. He knew Kyo-san way too well._

_Upon reaching the Japanese section of the Vongola Base, Hibari wordlessly slid the door open and strode in. Quickly changing into his yukata, he sat by the window, not saying a word. And he stayed there for three hours, just thinking of her. Of what they could've had. Eventually, he fell asleep, dreaming of her lips on his, her hands stroking through his hair comfortingly._

_"I'll never leave you." She'd promised. _

_Liar. _

* * *

><p>As the weeks passed, Kumiko became closer to Komatsu, or so she thought. Komatsu started hating the clingy girl. She seemed to be starved of human interaction or something, because she followed the taller girl everywhere. When Komatsu wanted to go to her locker, Kumiko would follow her gladly. Even when Komatsu needed to go to the bathroom, she'd always walk out to find that Kumiko was sheepishly waiting outside for her.<p>

She hated her.

And her hate festered in her heart. She was an assassin, damnit. Not some sort of idol this girl should be following around. She was a paid killer, not some sort of girly best friend for this 'kicked puppy' like girl. The only escape for her was thinking about how they would use her. Nakamura told her that she only needed to keep up her act for a few more days, and then they would put the plan into action. Everything was set in place.

Just a few more days, she promised herself. And then Kumiko would probably be gone from her life.

* * *

><p><em>Hibari opened his eyes, only to close them immediately again. The noonday sun was shining right into them, almost blinding his eyes with the sudden brightness. He groaned upon feeling his head hurt from even that small amount of exposure. Sitting up with his eyes still closed, he made sure to cover his face with his hand so as not to blind himself once more. Cautiously flickering his eyelids, he realized that he could now see properly again. The first thing he noticed was that he wasn't back in his room anymore.<em>

_"Time travel", he muttered to himself. Now, of all times..._

_The second thing he noticed was that his surroundings were unbelievably noisy. It's like multiplying Sasagawa Ryohei by 30 and then telling them to challenge each other to a boxing showdown in his very own Japanese styled living room. _

_Hibari groaned once more. His headache increased with the cacophony of strident noises. _

_The third thing he noticed was that he was in Namimori Chuu of ten years ago. _

* * *

><p>Kumiko bounced impatiently as she waited for Komatsu to fetch her school books. Honestly, the taller girl was so slow sometimes. Komatsu had her back facing the brown haired girl, and was scowling openly into her locker, resisting the urge to turn around and throw a punch at the idiot behind her. Inhaling a deep breath, she plastered a smile to her face and turned around.<p>

"Okay, let's go!"

The girl's face fell for a second upon seeing her fake smile, and Komatsu couldn't help but wonder whether she was really as clueless as she let on. Her worries trailed off when Kumiko laughed at the face she made. The smaller girl was once again back to her normal, excited self. She took Komatsu's hand in hers and dragged her to the cherry blossom trees. Sitting down first, Kumiko patted the ground beside her and started opening her bento. Komatsu obligued and opened her own.

_Hibari watched as the two girls sat down. He narrowed his eyes dangerously. He knew both of them. His beloved Kumiko and...that assassin. Letting out a snarl, he drove his tonfa towards her head. However, it didn't do anything but pass through her. Kumiko, sitting next to the Silent Slayer, shook her head, confused. Hibari found himself looking straight into her eyes as she looked up, almost as if she could sense his movements but couldn't see him. To test it, he called her name.  
><em>  
><em>"Kumiko." <em>

Kumiko blinked once more. Someone called her? Someone...

Hibird fluttered out of nowhere. "Hibari! Hibari~" the little bird supplied melodiously. Kumiko looked around, but Hibari-san was nowhere in view. Komatsu took on an expression of annoyance at the bird and excused herself quickly. Kumiko could only nod absentmindedly, intent on finding the source of the name calling once and for all. She wanted to stop feeling so insecure, what with the head prefect bullying her randomly and now the ghostly name calling.

Hibird hovered around Ten Years Later Hibari's face, chirping happily.

_Hibari held up a finger, and smiled when Hibird landed on the finger gently. The animal could sense him, of course. Animals' perceptions are always sharper than humans. Stroking it's head, he watched as the bird rubbed itself against his fingers gleefully. Suddenly, the bird fluttered off quickly, causing Hibari to raise his head. Spotting a movement in the third floor of the building, he quickly ducked behind a tree. He felt his movements start to slow down, and the panic in his chest started to rise. His younger self must've seen him._

_One thing you mustn't ever do when you time travel: To let your younger self see you. Otherwise..._

_**Time lapse, begin. 5:00 minutes to combustion. **_

_The world will blow up. _

_Time to leave, Hibari thought to himself. While I still can move, anyway. _

Hibari threw open the window of his office, reveling in the breeze that swept through the room. It was getting too stuffy in there. He caught a familiar movement between the cherry trees in the front courtyard of the school and glanced casually out of the window. Ten Years Later Hibari stared back at him with an edge of panic in his eyes, before quickly moving out of the line of sight. Hibari growled. He still hadn't paid that man back for what he did to his face! Even if it was himself, that strike was totally unjustified.

So he turned to hurry down to the courtyard and battle his older self. But the more he moved, the slower his movements seem to get. It was the same feeling he'd gotten when he'd watched the older him kill Kumiko by the riverbank. The feeling of being stuck, slowed down. It was as if time was stretching out...

"Ciaossu." Reborn called out to the struggling prefect.

"Baby." Hibari began, calming down, but only slightly. Reborn stared out the window, frowning at the view before him. Ten Years Later Hibari was also struggling to move, but he was making much more progress than Hibari had in the office. Possibly because he was use to this situation.

He disappeared, and suddenly Hibari was free again. He took out his tonfas and swung them around to test his mobility and was pleased to say that his movements were back to normal. Reborn stared silently at him before speaking once more.

"Hibari, do you know what just happened?" Reborn started.

"Hn?" Hibari sat down and looked away, but Reborn knew that his indifferent act was just another way to show that Hibari was hanging on to his every word. Reborn smirked.

"Your older self knows. That's why he left immediately without doing what he wanted to do."

"And what was that?"

"That's for me to know and you to find out, Hibari."

"Hn."

"What you've just experienced is something called Time Lapse. Hibari, you can travel through time. Right now, you have minimal control of your abilities, but your future self can do so sufficiently, at least enough to quench his own desires."

Hibari looked up at the infant's words. Time travel? That's insane. He didn't believe in such superstitious things like that.

"Don't believe me? You got hit by Lambo's bazooka before, didn't you? What happened then? You travelled to the future, didn't you?"

"That was with the help of scientific equipment. It doesn't justify for supernatural abilities."

Reborn tapped the brim of his fedora thoughtfully. Truth be told, it was rather hard to convince Hibari otherwise, and yet he could understand the feeling. If someone were to tell him that he could time travel, he would've laughed in that person's face and then he'd probably put a bullet through their idiotic brain. It was good enough that Hibari hadn't walked off already. Suddenly, the perfect example came to his mind.

"Your tonfas, Hibari. When you take out your tonfas, what does everyone else do?"

"Freeze in terror. Run away."

"Yes, they freeze, like a delayed reaction, before they run away. Don't you find it weird?"

"No. They're herbivores. They're scared of me."

"Hm. Where do you take your tonfas out of?"

Hibari pulled a collapsible tonfa out of his sleeve, glancing sideways at the Acrobaleno's reaction. Reborn kept his face carefully blank. "So they come from your sleeves. When you take them out in preparation for a battle, you pause time ever so slightly so that it seems like you're pulling them out of nowhere. I've heard Dame-Tsuna complain enough times that your 'magic tonfas' come out of nowhere, so don't deny it."

Hibari's mouth curled into a humorless smile. So what if he could control time flow for himself?

_I could have an advantage in battle. I can fight difficult opponents again and again until I bite them to death effectively. I can..._

_Go back and beat Mukuro._

A slow sadistic smile made it's way across his face. He faced Reborn once more. "So tell me, baby. How can I hone my...ah...abilities?"

Reborn smirked. "Don't be so quick to think ahead Hibari. Mukuro can control time too. And much better than you, well, right now anyway."

Hibari went back to scowling. Damn that pineapple illusionist.

* * *

><p>Komatsu looked into the mirror, combing her hair backwards with her hand. She swears that some white hairs have developed because of that stupid girl. Venomously, she took out a backup knife which she kept strapped to her back, and stuck it into the sink drawer. She imagined that it was Kumiko's flesh, and that blood was pooling out of the wound right now, and dripping onto the tiled floor.<p>

"Tsubaki-chan?" A girl asked hesitatingly. Komatsu whirled around, effectively hiding the knife from her view. She smiled.

"What is it, Amane-chan?"

"Ano...what was that behind you? I saw something like a knife...something..."

_You know too much, girl. _

"Don't move. It's actually a surprise for the class. A magic trick. Do you want me to show it to you?"

The girl's eyes widened in delight and she clapped her hands happily. "Okay! I won't tell anyone, promise!"

"Close your eyes." The Silent Slayer ordered and the girl complied readily.

With a yank, she pulled out the knife. All these weeks of frustration and anger towards one girl, Koizumi Kumiko, was going to be released in this single moment. Nobody would ever have to know, least of all Nakamura. She was still a teenage girl after all. She needs some kind of vent for her bottled up feelings.

And for her, the vent wasn't crying. It was killing.

Lunging forward, Silent Slayer wrapped her arm around the girl's mouth. Amane snapped opened her eyes in surprise, completely confused at the change in situation. The hand around her mouth tightened, and suddenly she was finding it difficult to breathe. She struggled open her mouth and chomped down on the offending hand. Silent Slayer didn't move, and Amane realized that the girl was wearing gloves. She was starting to see black.

Silent Slayer hurled her against the wall, her hand never leaving her face. Once pinned, she took out the knife and slid it teasingly across the girl's skin. She was crying now, her tears rolling down in fat drops and splashing onto the porcelain tiles below. Silent Slayer held no compassion for her victims though. She didn't even feel guilt for all those she'd killed in the past. Even if this kill was of her own accord, nothing had changed.

She was about to stick the knife into the girl's chest, but then realized that it would be too much of a messy ordeal. Unless...she burned the wound close before it could drip?

So she plunged the knife in. Amane's eyes widened for a second, and a muffled scream ripped out of her throat. Silent Slayer held her hand firmly against her mouth, and nobody heard the scream. She left the knife in the wound, and then drew her bloodied hand back. The hand burst into flames, and the blood evaporated and the knife melted, leaving no trace of weaponry behind.

Sky flames. Silent Slayer uses sky flames.

And those harmonizing flames, warm as they are when used for a good purpose, were pressed coldly to the girl's chest, effectively burning the wound close. A glaze of death came over Amane's eyes. She was well and truly gone. Silent Slayer decided that she wanted to get rid of all the evidence, and she let the body crumple to the ground before striking her still burning hand against the corpse's clothes.

She watched happily as the girl's body went up in flames.

* * *

><p>AN: Read and review, everyone! I would really appreciate it if you dropped in a small sentence or two on how I'm doing with this fic.

Pretty, pretty please? I might even upload faster! ^.^


	8. Adding Fuel to Fire

Disclaimer: I don't own Katekyo Hitman Reborn! All I own are the OCs...

Rating: T. The plot is seriously getting messed up, and there's swearing and dead, burning bodies.

A/N: Oh my goodness guys, I'm getting so hyped up about typing the chapters. Even I think the plot is becoming more and more exciting, and I'm the _author_. Technically, I should know what's going to happen next, but I'm still so...gah! That just shows how crazy I am. Anyway, I'm just really really happy that I've gotten a lot of reviews for this fic. I honestly wasn't expecting much, but I'm really happy with the amount I'm getting every time I update.

Thank you so much, all of you who have reviewed, put this story on favorites or alerted. Thanks so much!

* * *

><p>Adding Fuel to Fire<p>

* * *

><p>"FIRE! THERE'S FIRE!"<p>

Komatsu ran out of the now smoking bathroom, crying. Upon reaching a startled Kumiko, she threw herself in front of the bewildered girl and sobbed her heart out. Kumiko patted her back soothingly, completely lost as to what to do. She lifted Komatsu's head gently, and then signed to her.

_What happened?_

And then she saw the smoke. Doing a double take, Kumiko pointed towards the bathroom and then glanced questioningly at the sobbing girl at her feet. Suddenly, Komatsu lifted her head willingly and wrapped her arms around the smaller girl, almost suffocating her.

"Amane...Amane-chan...She's inside! I t-t-tried to save her b-b-but the f-fire..."

Kumiko's eyes widened in understanding and she leapt up quickly. Running towards the building, she signed for Komatsu to find a teacher, a disciplinary committee member, the nurse, anyone for help. Komatsu nodded in teary-eyed understanding and rushed off to do as she said. Kumiko stepped hesitatingly towards the burning building. Her heart was pounding rapidly as she made out the shape of a small body lying on the floor, shrouded in flames. She felt her own eyes start to tear up, both at the insinuations of Komatsu's words, the image of the body and the flames and smoke that was quickly starting to swallow her small figure.

She stepped forward absentmindedly, her mouth forming the shapes to call out to her fallen classmate. Her hand reached forward, wanting nothing but to pull the other girl out from the dangerous situation.

A crowd was starting to gather in front of the burning complex. Someone rang the local fire station, and ringing bells could be heard in the far distance. A flare of fire sent everyone back, and then a hysterical girl came running at the crowd with Hibari Kyoya hot on her heels.

"Kumiko! Get away from there! It's dangerous. KUMIKO!"

The crowd scattered quickly at Hibari's appearance. Komatsu glanced pleadingly at him but he ignored her. Wrapping his jacket around his mouth and nose, he walked into the smoke and flames slowly. A few pipes burst to the left of him, and Hibari brought his tonfas up just in time to block the spinning metal tubes. He could see Kumiko, kneeling in front of the burning body, crystal clear tears streaming slowly down her face. Hibari snarled at the stupidity the girl was displaying. Did she want to die?

Another flare, and the body was encased in flames. Hibari hurried to Kumiko's side and pulled her upright. The girl resisted gently, leaning towards her classmate's body and mouthing her name again and again. Hibari started coughing, and his irritation flared with the sound of his own rasping breath. That herbivore. He gripped her wrist impatiently and pulled her harder against him, his other hand going to cover her face and her eyes from the sad sight before her. He could feel the quickly evaporating tears on her face and her body trembling as she realized that her classmate really was gone. Pulling her out of the burning building, Hibari, turned her around and led her away to the nurse quietly, uncaring of the singed edges of his own jacket.

* * *

><p>"SILENT SLAYER! WHAT THE FUCK WERE YOU THINKING?" Nakamura clenched the phone in his hands, resisting the urge to throw it against the floor. A yawn came from the other end of the line.<p>

"My, my! Don't be so mad at me~ I was just venting some frustrations."

"YOU ALMOST GAVE US AWAY, FUCKING BITCH."

Komatsu's grip on the device tightened. If he was going to blame her for everything..."You try spending one day with that DUMBASS, alright? YOU TRY. She's so fucking clingy, it took all I had not to slash her head off with my pocket knife in front of the whole shitty school, okay?" She took a deep breath, and then her voice turned sugary sweet once more.

"Mou, I'm sick and tired of this, Nakamura-kun! Let's commence with phase two tomorrow, at the dead brat's funeral. I have an idea of what to do, and I'll bring the mute girl to you tomorrow! Oh and, bonus! It seems as if Hibari Kyoya has taken an inkling of interest in her, which means he'll be more likely to act rashly, huh? Okay then, taa taa for now, sweetie pie!"

"Wait, Sile..."

Komatsu threw the phone on the floor and took the katana by her bedside, stabbing it clean through the middle and splitting it in half. She grinned, exhilarated and satisfied with the resulting spray of plastic and wires.

On the other side of town, Nakamura mirrored her action, flinging the poor abused cell against the window. Its screen cracked, but not much else happened. He didn't own a katana, after all. His other hand started to tap the armchair's arms once more, as he thought of all the possible outcomes of the plan once the hostage was in his grasp.

* * *

><p>"I don't treat males..." Dr. Shamal protested, until Hibari shoved a still sobbing Kumiko against the pervert. Dr. Shamal looked surprised at the sudden movement, and got to work. Seeing the grief in the little girl's eyes, Shamal actually had the decency to shove aside all his perverse urges and get to work bandaging Kumiko's scrapped knees and wrists.<p>

Hibari leant against a wall of the room, vaguely watching as Shamal smeared some ointment on the girl's knees. For once in his life, Hibari was almost in a state of shock. He'd always gone on about how 'letting a student die on campus is against school regulations,' but he'd never thought that he would actually _let _a student die. He felt failure for the first time in his life since his battle against Rokudo Mukuro. If he fails to protect the students at Nami-Chuu, then what was the disciplinary committee useful for?

Shamal turned to Hibari with a swath of bandages, noting the young man's unusually meek behaviour. Hibari didn't react, even when Shamal grabbed his hand and rubbed alcohol into one of the particularly deep cuts on his arm, which had resulted from a piece of the exploded pipe burying itself into Hibari's arm. Even Kumiko winced in sympathy at the size of the cut, yet Hibari Kyoya didn't even flinch when the burning liquid touched raw flesh.

Shamal blinked and waved his hand in front of Hibari's face. He was also quite worried at the usually violent Prefect's now totally passive attitude. Well, Hibari soon recovered and snapped out of his dazed thinking. He slammed his tonfa into Dr. Shamal's face, and sent the pervert flying across the room. Dr. Shamal sat up and grinned.

"Okay, both of you are free to go back to do whatever you were doing before the..."

_"Accident."_Kumiko signed.

"Murder." Hibari countered. They looked at each other and then turned away, walking in opposite directions.

Shamal was left scratching his head in confusion at their actions. He chose to turn away and look out the window, noting the desperate wailing of the fire trucks and the smoke clouding the maroon sky.

* * *

><p>Hibari sighed as he let himself into his Japanese styled home. Nobody else was there, as per usual.<p>

Walking to the kitchen, he grabbed the kettle and a packet of his favorite green tea. As soon as the tea was made, Hibari trudged up to his room, book in hand. To him, it felt like eons ago since he'd done exactly this. If he recalled properly, the last time he'd drank tea and read a book, the day turned out to be a nightmare, complete with ghostly figures and injuries.

Worse of all, he knew something was wrong with the way Akimoto Amane died. Nobody just walks into a bathroom and it suddenly bursts into flames. He suspects that someone is targeting his school. Anger coursed through him. Someone was targeting his school and needlessly getting students like Amane and Kumiko into danger. That person is definitely going to be _bitten to death._

Growling, Hibari slammed a fist against a wall in anger. If possible, he felt even hollower after his very brief dispute with Koizumi Kumiko. He should've left the girl alone, and wrote off the first ghostly interactions as his own wild imagination, because ever since he'd decided to clash head on with her in the corridors, his disciplining in Namimori Chuu has gone awry. Stupid, stupid herbivore, causing trouble for him and Namimori Chuu. He regretted meeting her. He regretted even seeking her out for information. She's useless.

But he could still feel her 'thank you' scrawled on the back of his hand, her smooth fingertips brushing against his skin softly.

* * *

><p>"Everyone, we have an announcement to make."<p>

A few days later, the principle stood on the podium, overlooking the whole school populace. A select few were already sobbing, having been closer to Amane than the others. Hibari leant nonchalantly against the balcony in the great hall and swept his cool gaze over the occupants of the room.

"Akimoto Amane was one of our top students. She...is...was a treasured member of our school community, and a well loved member of class 2A. Her accident with the burning building was...so, so unexpected..." The principle wiped away some tears, and then continued her speech, sniffling once in a while. The rest of the hall was deathly silent.

"We'll always remember her for her intelligence. Compassion. Generosity. Kindness. Her outgoing, helpful nature. We'll always, always remember her and miss her." Applause, and then nothing. Every person's head was bowed, even the delinquents most notorious for bullying in the school. Hibari himself bowed his head in respect for the memory of one of the least troublesome students in the whole school. Everyone filed out of the room solemnly, not daring to speak.

Komatsu latched onto Kumiko's arm as soon as the crowd filed out into a much more spacious area.

"Kumiko, her funeral is tomorrow afternoon. I think we should go. We were the first ones to see her...and it wouldn't be right if...it wouldn't be right if we didn't go pay our respect."

Kumiko nodded silently. She herself considered Amane as one of the nicer members of the class. Amane never looked at her with pity, or laughed at her inability to speak. In fact, before Komatsu came along, Amane was always the first one to volunteer to have Kumiko in her group for projects, even if nobody else wanted her. She'll miss her, definitely.

Komatsu patted the smaller girl on the head, only to have her squirm away quickly from her touch. "Ne, Kumiko, I'm going to go to my locker."

_"I'll go home first then, Tsubaki-chan. See you tomorrow." _The silent girl signed back. Kumiko dipped her head and got ready to hurry away. She had a really bad feeling about Komatsu. The girl was a fake, a liar. She'd known since the first day she'd met her. And now, look what happened? She'd let her guard down, and now someone is killed right in front her. Maybe Hibari is right. Hibari probably knew better than anyone else, thus his statement. Kumiko knew she was being unreasonable, but there was an unmistakable urge in her heart to get away from the taller girl. Bad news, her emotions screamed. Komatsu is BAD NEWS.

Komatsu's eyes narrowed. For the first time since she'd met this girl, Kumiko was willing to be separated from her side. That's a first. So she tugged on her arm. "Kumiko, aren't you coming?"

Kumiko stared at the arm on her hand, and then slapped it away. She turned to run, but Komatsu stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. Kumiko growled angrily and wriggled away from the touch, all the while glaring at Komatsu's hand darkly. Komatsu's eyes widened. There's no explanation for her hostile attitude, except...

_"Why did you have blood in your fingernails? Why? What did you do to Amane-chan..."_

* * *

><p>AN: Once again, an early post! I hope you guys enjoyed the story so far. I don't think I wrote this chapter very well though...sorry heheh...and the cliffy at the end is kind of a fail cliffy too haha XD The plot is probably going to get a bit more angsty and less lighthearted later on. I guess you guys could tell with the random death of poor Amane. Everything will be revealed sooner or later, so don't worry about the plotholes for now. I hope you guys don't get too confused.

Once again, thanks for the reviews! **xXBloodyIllusionXx, zHamster, Bree** **Renee, **thank you!


	9. Funeral

Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn! I only own my OCs.

Rating: T.

A/N: Hello everybody. I'm back with another chapter...I hope I didn't leave too much of a cliffy for the last chapter XD And the plot is moving on quite nicely, if I do say so myself. Thanks to all those who reviewed and alerted and favorited...I really love your support for this story XD I've added a bit of fluff in between, because all angst is not good for anyone, especially not me.

* * *

><p>Funeral for Two<p>

* * *

><p><em>Paranoia<em>, she told herself as she huddled deeper into her blankets on the bed. It's all Hibari's fault, for muttering that one word which sent her almost into hysterics. Why would anyone want to murder her sweet, innocent classmate? Nobody in her class was even involved in something illegal, like the mafia or something. That's crazy. Komatsu had slapped her, saying that she was a monster for even _suspecting _that she would do something so illogical and...plain brutal. After a hurried explanation from the taller girl, Kumiko was ashamed of herself. Komatsu had bravely jumped into the room when she realized that Amane was trapped inside the burning building, and had attempted to pull her out to safety. When she was trying to move one of the boards to free a trapped Amane, Komatsu had ripped the five fingernails on her left hand, making it bloody underneath. Komatsu had then left, saying that she didn't want to be friends with such an inconsiderate, stupid bitch.

So she was left friendless again.

Deciding that staying underneath her bed and refusing to get up to go to school wasn't the right way to go, Kumiko reluctantly rolled off her comforting mattress and collapsed on the floor. Dragging herself upright, she winced as pain shot up her scraped and burned hands and knees.

_Which reminds me, I didn't even say thank you. _

Hibari-san probably saved her life, and yet she had just walked away like nothing happened. Her emotions were in turmoil because of that one little word that he'd said, but still. That wasn't an excuse to ignore what he'd done for her. Vaguely, she remembered Hibari walking through the smoke towards her, his strong arms pulling her away from the devastating sight of her classmate lying still on the bathroom floor.

She picked out the correct uniform and got dressed, almost like a robot. First the blouse, and then the sweater over it. The sweater smells smoky, and faintly like him. Well, he had pulled her against his chest in his daring rescue. Then came her skirt, her long socks and her shoes. Pulling a brush through her hair quickly, she picked up her prepacked schoolbag and left. She walked to school by herself, missing the company of Komatsu, who usually comes to pick her up every morning since the day they became friends.

She was totally unaware of the eyes from the alleyway, scrutinizing her every move.

* * *

><p>Hibari stood by the school gates, glaring steely eyed at all the students that crossed the gate and came into the school premises. A lot of them have much different reactions today. They bowed at him respectfully, and some even muttered a quick "Thanks, Hibari-san, for everything." It seemed that word of his daring rescue spread around quickly.<p>

Kumiko looked at him mournfully once she was within his sight. He returned the stare blankly. The herbivore owed him now, and Hibari would be sure not to let her forget her debt to him. She could always help Kusakabe tidy the school after everyone else had left. But still, something seemed off in her today. Not that that is any surprise, since her classmate did die suddenly after all. But she seemed, more...lonely.

And the reason was clear, once Komatsu pushed past her, laughing boisterously with two other girls. Komatsu and the girls threw their head back and looked at Kumiko contemptuously, and Kumiko caught Komatsu whispering: "...such a weirdo. I don't even know why I bothered to become friends with her."

Kumiko's shoulders drooped, and she crossed her arms around herself as if shielding herself from the harsh words. She figured she deserved it, jumping to random conclusions like that. She sent another look in Hibari's direction, ready to mouth 'thank you for saving me', but he'd already turned away. He wasn't interested in hearing the disputes of herbivores. Hibird fluttered between the two figures, looking back and forth between the girl and his master. Seemingly unable to decide what to do, Hibird burst into the Namimori Anthem. Kumiko stretched out her hand. Maybe Hibird would still...trust...her...

"Hibird, come." Hibari summoned his faithful companion with just two words, and Hibird turned away from the pleading girl. It's not as if Hibird would understand her anguish anyway, Kumiko realized.

So Kumiko was well and truly alone.

* * *

><p>Kumiko prepared to spend the day alone. Ironic, because she'd just have to revert back to her old routine. This is what she'd originally planned: In class, she should listen to the teacher, take studious notes. Try not to look at the empty seat directly in front of her. At recess, sit in the classroom and review her notes, maybe even start on her homework. At lunch, maybe wander to the library and sit in her favorite corner, the plush and faded pillows shielding her small figure from the scornful gazes of the world. The last lesson was physical education, so she just had to watch everyone else and copy what they do. The teachers were all aware that she couldn't hear their instructions, and won't penalize her if she couldn't keep up in the dance routine with the rest of the class.<p>

Of course, nothing in life ever really follows as planned. In reality, Kumiko wasn't alone at all. In fact, two protective gazes followed her throughout the school, one openly walking alongside her in the corridors, and another having to keep to the shadows so as not to accidentally activate 'Time Lapse'.

_"Kufufufu~ Skylark, hm? Are you here to keep poor Kumiko-chan company too?"  
><em>  
><em>"None of your business, Rokudo Mukuro."<em>

_"Well, unfortunately for you, you have to stay out of sight, while I can follow her around for the whole day. It seems like I finally have an advantage over you, huh, Kyoya?"_

_Hibari snarled in irritation and resisted the urge to slam his tonfas against something once more. That pineapple illusionist sure knew how to rile him up. Instead, he walked off, intent on finding Kumiko first. Mukuro 'Kufufu'ed once more and disappeared into thin air, no doubt with the same objective in mind. _

_Coincidentially, they both found her in her mathematics classroom at the same time. Mukuro teasingly held the door open for Hibari, gesturing elegantly with a sweep of his hand. Hibari stalked into the room proudly, his eyes fixated not on the small, hunched over figure of his Kumiko sitting at her desk and trying to take copious notes with blurry eyes. He kept his gaze carefully directed at the window opposite this classroom, where his younger self had his back to the window and was currently writing some important looking slips. Student records, he remembered, after glancing at the teacher's phone placed on the desk._

_Mukuro however, even dared to pull a chair over to sit directly beside Kumiko, his eyes softening at her saddened expression. He leant over and whispered something in her right ear, which made the girl start once more and Hibari gave a low guttural growl at Mukuro's intimacy with his Kumiko. He himself had to settle for leaning uncomfortably between her desk and the wall, his gaze steadily pinpointed on his younger self while his hand absentmindedly started combing through her hair once more. He figured that she wouldn't mind as much, because she couldn't feel his touch anyway. _

_Nevertheless, he paused when she ran her own hands through her hair slowly, her fingertips barely brushing his. He couldn't feel it, but he could sure remember her touch. And he missed her so much. _

_Mukuro sighed and shifted around in the chair, before leaping up and giving an indignant cry as the teacher decided to use it as a footstool to turn on the projector. Kumiko's now curious gaze followed Mukuro's movements, her eyes squinting every now and then as if trying to make out his figure. She backpedalled out of her chair and straight into Hibari when Mukuro decided to approach her openly. Hibari tried to steady her with his hands, smirking at the blue haired illusionist when she positioned herself unconsciously so that she was leaning against his chest. Mukuro scowled back, unwilling to back down from the challenge obviously issued from Hibari's expression. _

Kumiko felt herself hitting something hard and craned her neck back to look see that she was propped up by something invisible, keeping her from hitting the wall directly. Irked, she tried shoving the object aside, much to the amusement of her classmates. She must look like she was fighting a war against an invisible wall, flailing her arms around and all. Frustrated at the lack of movement of the 'invisible object', she punched it really hard. Her fist never met the plaster, but she felt the object move.

_It was Mukuro's turn to smirk at the Skylark's situation. The girl had decided to punch him, obviously because she was scared or irritated by the invisible resistance she was facing when he was holding her in his arms. As a result, Hibari got slugged in the abdomen. It didn't hurt him much, but it was enough for him to issue an irritated cough and move out of her 'line of fire'. Kumiko once again turned her head around to track his movements, as if almost being able to see him._

"...Kumiko! Are you listening to me?"

Kumiko's head snapped up from where she was currently trying to poke the moving almost-but-not-quite-invisible object. She reluctantly sat back down in her seat, her eyes still darting back every now and then to look for the 'ghost', as she so affectionately dubbed the moving invisible object.

_Mukuro was now laughing openly as Hibari was forced backwards through several unsuspecting classmates and away from her poking finger. The pineapple illusionist's chuckles filled the room, much to Hibari's chagrin. Hibari sighed. It's not even her fault, because she didn't know that they were there, and she definitely didn't know who Ten Years Later Hibari or Ten Years Later Mukuro were. _

"Koizumi Kumiko! Enough! Can you please pay attention to class? I understand you might still be grieving, but we all are!" The teacher had finally had enough of the girl's curious behaviour. Kumiko sat down meekly and nodded.

"Sensei," A voice drawled. "Of course she's not. I mean, how can she listen to you when she's seeing...invisible ghosts...and making false accusations?"

"Komatsu Tsubaki, enough of this..."

"Hey class. Koizumi Kumiko's gone nuts. You know yesterday? She actually asked if I was the one that killed Amane! Why would I...why would...I..." Having said that, Komatsu clenched her hands into fists and tears started streaming down her face. The girls surrounding her patted her on the back sympathetically. The whole class turned and glared at Kumiko, who was tearing up herself. Kumiko stood up suddenly, unknowingly slamming her chair back into Ten Years Later Mukuro.

"_Sensei, I need the bathroom. Sorry._" She ran out of the room.

_Mukuro tumbled unwillingly through a few chairs and then sat up, rubbing his head. "Still as spontaneous as ever, I see, Koizumi Kumiko." He meant to send her a glare but froze at her anguished expression, tears already slipping out of the corner of her soft brown orbs. She ran out of the room and both Mukuro and Hibari trailed after her. _

_"Skylark, isn't that the infamous assassin 'Silent Slayer'?" _

_"Hn."_

_"What is she doing here?"_

_"...It doesn't matter. We can't do anything about it."_

_As soon as Hibari stepped outside into the corridors, he sensed immediate danger up ahead. Ducking into the nearest classroom, he couldn't help but growl at Mukuro as he trotted past Hibari with a smug expression adorning his face. Mukuro's smile faded as soon as Hibari was left behind, his mood turning dark due to the girl's obvious suffering. And eventually, even his neutral expression turned sour as he saw the current sixteen year old head prefect come pacing down the hall. _

Kumiko ducked into the girls bathroom as soon as she heard Hibari's approaching footfalls. Locking herself into a cubicle, she curled up and pressed her face into her knees, muffling her shaking sobs. The sleeves of her sweater were soon soaked through with tears, and yet they wouldn't stop falling. Kumiko deduced that as long as she let it all out, her tears would eventually run out.

_Outside, the situation between Mukuro and the young Hibari Kyoya was getting tense. Younger Hibari had already gotten over his initial shock at seeing the pineapple illusionist within the confines of his own school, and had already drawn his tonfas. Mukuro had his trident safely in his grasp and was laughing openly in the face of the younger Hibari. Apparently for him, riling up Hibaris of all ages never gets old. But the echoing sobs in the bathroom reminded the real purpose of his visit. _

_Without warning, Mukuro turned away, seemingly to enter into the girl's bathroom. Hibari's face twisted into one of disgust, and he got ready to walk away. _

_"Comfort her, you bastard!" Mukuro hissed. _

_Namimori's Head Prefect stopped and stared at the pineapple illusionist. He was standing in the entrance of the bathroom, glaring back at the younger man. Younger Hibari turned away once more, until Mukuro couldn't take it any longer. He'd protect her and comfort her, even at the cost of his own pride. _

_"Hibari Kyoya, as much as I'd hate to admit this but...this is something only you can do right now. Please...do this for her." _

_Ten Years Later Hibari Kyoya pressed his ear against the classroom door, not daring to turn to face the window. He had heard Mukuro's words, and he'd heard his younger self's footsteps retracing itself and finally turning into the bathroom. His heart twisted and he felt left out. But, the more he thought about it, the more he realized that he didn't miss out at all. _

_Mukuro was the one who lost this time. _

Kumiko only half registered the arms that wrapped hesitantly around her. She leaned into the touch, completely oblivious to what was happening around her. The only thing that she registered was his scent, matching the one on her sweater. But that too was soon gone, as her own feelings clouded her perceptions once more. She stayed in the bathroom for who knows how long, and only moved when the bell rang for the end of school. She still needed to attend the funeral too.

The hands that were holding her willingly let her go.

* * *

><p>The sky darkened, clouds heavy with winter rain. As the rain started to fall, it felt freezing, a cross between half solidified snow and cold water. It felt like the sky was shedding frozen tears. Kumiko raised her hand and felt the water splash into her palms. The rest of her body was hidden underneath a black umbrella, which had been handed to her in the entrance to the graveyard. Her hands balanced the umbrella carefully, both wanting to hold it to her and keep herself dry and wanting also to push it away and let the cold water wash away her tears. In the end, the umbrella stayed, and the cold rain bounced off it's surface harmlessly.<p>

The priest went on and on, and everyone gathered around Amane's grave to say their goodbyes. Kumiko noted that the rest of her class and their teacher also attended the service, but they all avoided her like she was the plague. Even her normally cheery sensei frowned at her and moved away.

Komatsu avoided her the most. Kumiko never saw more of the girl than her slender hand holding onto a black umbrella of her own. Which was fine, since she herself didn't want to face Komatsu anyway.

Suddenly, the very girl she was thinking of approached her.

"Kumiko...I'm sorry for what I did in class." Kumiko started, staring at her in disbelief. The dark-haired girl chuckled, still teary eyed from seeing Amane's body (or what was left of it) being lowered into the ground and disappearing under shovelfuls of dirt.

"Ne, Kumiko. I want to talk to you. We'll sort this issue out, alright? I don't want us to stop being friends because of a simple misunderstanding..."

Kumiko nodded dumbly, and took the hand that Komatsu offered. Komatsu dragged her off, her pace going much faster than that of their other classmates leaving the funeral. Various disbelieving looks were sent in their direction, as well as a lot of hateful gazes and sympathetic ones towards Kumiko and Komatsu respectively. Komatsu tossed her head and ignored them, while Kumiko lowered hers.

After walking for a while, Kumiko began to wonder where they were actually heading. They didn't seem like they were heading for anywhere crowded. Possibly because Komatsu didn't want anyone to overhear the conversation they were going to have...

Komatsu stopped abruptly, Kumiko bumping into her back. Suddenly, Kumiko was backed into a dark alleyway, yet she found that she couldn't do anything about her situation at all. Her eyes were fixated on the look of hate that currently occupied Komatsu's features.

"Do you want to know what?"

_What? What is this...? Why...why is she..._

"I killed her, just for the heck of it. It was funny, watching her burn."

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><p>AN: As always, please review! I'm almost done with the next chapter so I'll probably post soon...


	10. Secrets

Disclaimer: I don't own Katekyo Hitman Reborn! I only own my OCs.  
>Rating: T; torture, and slight molestation. Nothing as strong as rape though, just one really creepy, perverted dude (Cough...Nakamura...cough)<br>A/N: Thanks, everyone, ever so much for all the reviews and the alerts and the favorites! I'm so glad that my story is appreciated by all of you. Thanks especially to those who have reviewed, because your encouraging words really keep me going...

On we go!

* * *

><p>Secrets<p>

* * *

><p>Hibari had no idea why he'd listened to the damn illusionist, especially when he was looking suspiciously older than the one that he'd fought and lost to in Kokuyo Land. Maybe it was because Mukuro looked so desperate and pleading, that he'd done it just to taunt the pineapple head. Maybe it was so that Mukuro would owe him a favor. He was definitely going to ask for a rematch in that case.<p>

The important thing is, he'd actually walked into the _girl's_bathroom, something he'd only thought someone as pervy as Dr. Shamal would do, and had kicked the door open to the cubicle she was hiding in. She didn't even look up at him. In fact, she didn't even seem to hear the thunderous sound of the door being slammed open. Upon seeing her state, half of him was mixed with disgust for her weakness, and half of him was ridden with guilt. He wondered if he'd caused her grief, what with the accusatory statement of murder coming from his mouth. Absentmindedly, he called Kusakabe and told him to close off the second floor girl's bathroom on pretense that it was under renovation. He'd turned off the phone before Kusakabe could even squeeze in one questioning word. He knew that his right hand man would heed his call no matter how weird it was.

And for the rest of the day, he'd forgone patrolling to hold her in his arms. Why he did so, he himself was still unclear. Her sobbing was disrupting the peace in Namimori-Chuu, he told himself. Anything other reason and he'd dismissed as unrealistic. Except for one, which swam around his brain and had him in a bad mood for the rest of the day after she left.

_He wanted to stop her grief too. _

He was unfamiliar to this feeling, so he shoved it in the back of his mind. It felt good to hold her against him though, even if she wasn't aware that he was there. But of course, he would never admit it.

* * *

><p>Acting on instinct, Kumiko rammed her head into Silent Slayer's stomach, making her grunt with surprise and fall backwards slightly. Kumiko turned and started running, her mind bewildered and sending her different instructions every few seconds.<p>

Run.

Hide.

Fight.

Scream for help...

Before she could even open her mouth to emit a cry, a hand wrapped around her throat, choking off her air supply. Silent Slayer grinned as she finally, _finally_got hold of her prey. Without hesitation, she clocked her 'best friend' over the head, nodding in satisfaction when she slumped down, unconscious.

"You have no idea how long I've waited for this day. You have no fucking idea."

* * *

><p>Kumiko woke up to the unfamiliar feeling of pain and darkness. She blinked, trying to get her eyes working against the dimly lit room. Upon feeling something fleshy against her back she twisted around and tried to get away from the crawling feeling of unease. She stopped in shock when one meaty hand wrapped around her waist and pulled her further against his chest. Turning slowly, she realized that it was a man, and he was sneering at her.<p>

Fear spiked through her. _Somebody...some...one..._

"Yo. Are you awake now, sweetheart?"

She screamed. His face turned sour as her scream rang painfully through his ears, and he threw her across the room. Kumiko hit the wall and crumpled underneath it, whimpering softly at the pain that was now spreading across her back. Nakamura stood up slowly and walked towards her, tugging her upright by her hair. She stared fearfully at him with wide eyes, seemingly frozen in terror.

Taking her hand, he pressed his lips to her palm teasingly. "Now, now. We can't have this little mute princess being feisty, right? Would you care to listen to my proposal?"

_No! _Yanking her hand away from him, she stumbled backwards and felt for a door handle, a light switch, anything. He slapped her, and she collapsed once again. For the first time in her life, Kumiko cursed her weakness. She'd never once cared about how she was so vulnerable, because she was naive and she didn't think anyone would want to attack her. Now that the difference in their strength was so painfully clear, she couldn't help but hate her weakness.

Fear was rendering her immobile. She found that every time she stared up at the man's face, or looked around wildly for an exit, her limbs weren't obeying her commands properly. Her legs felt wobbly and uncertain, making her collapse back to the floor whenever she tried to stand up. Nakamura looked on with twisted amusement as his captive struggled to get a grip and pull herself upright. Finally, she succeeded.

Shakily, she stood up once more. Nakamura sneered and grabbed her wrist, dragging her back to his chair. Once there, he quickly sat down and wrapped his arms around her waist again. She hoped fervently that he wouldn't think of sticking his hands up her skirt or anything perverted like that, though her wishes didn't seem likely to come true what with the way his hands were starting to wander across her stomach.

She struggled and his grip tightened. She bit her lips and resisted the urge to throw up when his sickly breath brushed against the back of her neck seductively, and his tongue protruded to taste her smooth skin.

"Kumiko-chan, you're not going to be difficult, are you? Otherwise, something nasty might happen to you." As if to emphasize his point, he pressed his lips against her neck once more. She started sobbing as he nibbled and sucked on her skin. Pulling away to grin at the trembling girl, he continued.

"You just need to listen to what I say."

Completely defeated and at his mercy, she nodded quietly. He too, nodded back at her, giving her a feral grin. Grabbing her left wrist, he snapped it.

Her cry rang out through the empty halls of the Momokyokai hideout. He pressed his free hand to her mouth, stifling any other cries that followed. Keeping one hand looped around her waist, he continued talking.

"Alright, Kumiko. We're going to play a game. I want you to know the rules first, alright, sweetie? First of all, you mustn't tell your Head Prefect about our interactions. Don't look so wistfully at the door, he's not going to come in and rescue you now.

"I've had my men plant a bomb underneath Namimori Chuu. Did you hear of the commotion with that rowdy gang that graffitied Nami-Chuu's walls? I purposely sent my men there to take care of the bomb matter. The commotion was the perfect cover to bury the bomb in the baseball fields. Don't look so hopeful, I assure you that the bomb is strong enough to take out at least half of Namimori. The rule is, you're not to tell Hibari Kyoya about the bomb. I'm going to launch a series of seemingly unrelated mob fights throughout Namimori, and we'll see how the demon with tonfas reacts to this, shall we?"

He chose another area of her neck to suck on, leaving another hickey. Her hands clenched in fear at his ministrations, but thankfully he didn't move to touch any other area of her body. He continued his twisted explanations, much to her horror.

"But you know, I don't like playing games without stakes at hand. It'll be your intelligence against mine, how about that? You can be the bait, and he'll be the fish. Let's see...hm! No matter what, Namimori will come under my control, so don't try to resist that fate. My game is to see if you can prevent the school from blowing up, since I would quite like to make Namimori mine without taking out half of the town's population. It all depends on how fast Hibari Kyoya catches on to my plans. The faster he does, the less mob fights he's going to have to deal with. Eventually..."

His eyes gleamed cruelly at the look of terror in Kumiko's brown orbs. He brushed his hands over her stomach, caressing her in a sickeningly gentle manner.

"Eventually, Hibari Kyoya will find out that the Momokyokai is behind all of this. Don't you agree, sweetie? He'll come running with those tonfas of his. He'll be tired and hurt from all the mob fights that he's had to break up. He might even have to sneak out of the hospital if his injuries are serious, and make his way here, All my men have been given the order to kill him on sight. And then, once he reaches here, he'll have to fight me."

He picked up the revolver and pressed it to her neck nonchalantly. Kumiko stiffened at the cold metal, and he laughed gratingly at her expression.

"Don't worry, kitty-cat. I'm not going to kill you yet. You're of use to me now. This is where you come in, hm? The faster you find out a way to tell him that we're behind this, the less hurt he'll be. The less hurt he'll be, the longer he'll last in a fight against me. The longer he lasts, the more fun I'll have, get it?"

_The less mob fights he gets in, the more chance he has of beating this guy at his own game, _Kumiko realized. Kumiko clenched her eyes shut, hoping that everything was a nightmare. A strangly realistic one, but a nightmare nonetheless. Nakamura cruelly pinched her skin for her, causing her to jolt and snap open her eyes once more. She looked at him with watery eyes and nodded meekly.

"Oh, and one more thing, Kumiko! Silent Slayer is still going to be attending your school. She's right there, see?"

He waved at Komatsu, who was standing in the shadows behind his chair. She walked forward and waved back to him cheekily, before twining her hand through Kumiko's brown locks and giving it a hard yank.

"That's for being such an annoying bitch." She whispered into Kumiko's ear.

"So another rule. As soon as Komatsu sees that you're walking up to Hibari and telling him about his situation in a straightforward manner, I'll tell her to detonate the bomb. Everyone _will _die. Oh wait! I forgot you can't speak." He laughed, jeering at her downcast manner. "So if she sees you interact directly with Hibari in any manner, like giving him a letter or something, she'll blow the place up. She's got enough skills to get her out of the area without getting killed herself, so don't try anything heroic. That's all!"

Giving her one final bite on her neck, he shoved her off of him. Kumiko managed to catch herself with her one good hand, keeping her broken wrist from meeting painfully with the floor. Stumbling to her feet, she doggedly staggered to the door. Nakamura's voice rang out behind her in a sing-song manner: "Kumiko! I believe I haven't introduced myself yet! You may call me Nakamura, okay? Come back soon!"

Kumiko blanched and didn't turn back. She could tell by the tone of his voice that he was smirking at her. Komatsu flounced up to the mute girl, patting her on the head in a mockingly friendly manner, and then grabbing her other broken wrist to drag her out of the building. Kumiko shrieked in pain once more, and Komatsu stopped to consider her captive.

"I guess I better call the ambulance for you, ne, Kumiko-chan?"

She squeezed her wrist lightly, and Kumiko finally couldn't take the agony any longer. She blacked out once more.

* * *

><p>Kumiko opened her eyes slowly to see a white ceiling, the smell of sterilized sheets and medicine tickling her nose. She pushed herself upright, wincing at the pain when she brushed her left wrist against the sheets. She coughed dryly to herself when she realized Nakamura had effectively prevented her from being able to sign properly to Hibari anyway, by putting her left arm in a cast.<p>

"Awake, Kumiko?" She knew that mocking voice anywhere.

Turning her gaze to the girl leaning on one of the walls, she couldn't help but flinch when Komatsu approached her. Komatsu grabbed her hair again.

"Nakamura told me to keep a close eye on you. You won't try anything funny, will you now?" She pulled something out of her pocket and dangled it teasingly out of her reach. It was a small black remote control, dotted with grey buttons. "This is the detonator. Want it? Can't have it, bitch." She threw back her head and laughed. Kumiko turned away. Before she could do anything else really evilly to Kumiko though, the door was thrown open and a bustling nurse waltzed her way in.

"Rise and shine, Kumiko!" Kumiko sat up at the familiarly motherly voice and nodded at her in reply, but soon went back to staring out the window. The nurse waddled over and handed her a thermometer, a cup of water and a set of pills. "These are to help you with the pain, sweetie. You should be able to go back to school tomorrow if you keep these pills with you at all times. Make sure to take them on time, or your wrist will start hurting again!"

Kumiko blanched at the nickname that the unknowing nurse tagged her with. It was so hauntingly familiar to how Nakamura had been taunting her. Simply thinking of the man gave her a headache. Komatsu sneered knowingly at Kumiko, but the look of mocking contempt quickly disappeared once the nurse turned to face her.

"You're her best friend right? Well, now, I have to thank you for looking after Koizumi-san! Koizumi-san is usually very lonely, you know? She lives all by herself with her cat. I take care of her, indirectly though, but she's like a daughter to me because she's been coming here ever since the accident..." The nurse trailed off at Kumiko's blank stare. The woman meant well, but it probably wasn't the best of times to bring up the girl's parent's death. Kumiko didn't respond to the tense silence that suddenly filled the room. She had big problems to deal with right now, after all. She had to play the 'game' with the dreaded Yakuza leader Nakamura.

There was one thing she knew though. She cannot lose, no matter what. She won't let anyone get blown up or die.

Least of all, Hibari Kyoya.

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><p>AN: Once again, an early update! Thank you to all of you who put this story on alert and favorited, and also thanks to those who took the time to review the previous chapter XD

**Reviewers: mirageseason132, zHamster and bluenari**

As always, I thank you for your support, and I hope that you'll continue supporting me XD Everyone, please review!


	11. Ticket

Disclaimer: I don't own Katekyo Hitman Reborn!  
>Rating: T<p>

* * *

><p>Ticket<p>

* * *

><p>Her head still hurts and her left wrist throbs with pain, but Kumiko found the strength to get up and walk to school the next day. She tried not to be too conscious of the stares directed at her broken wrist, especially not when Komatsu claimed to have broken it herself due to Kumiko's insolence during their 'talk' yesterday.<p>

"My goodness, that girl never learns. I mean, I tried to tell her to not be so disrespectful during Amane's _funeral_of all times. You'd think that she'd be more reserved with her rudeness because she's mute, but she just uses it as an excuse to insult our dear classmate because nobody else can truly understand her sign language. So I thought, I ought to teach her something about manners, and I shoved her to the ground. She landed awkwardly and her wrist broke. She can't sign properly now, HAH!" Kumiko steered clear of Komatsu today, scared that the Silent Slayer would activate the bomb just for laughs. Komatsu was one twisted individual. After all, she'd heard her admit to the murder crime herself before waking up disorientated in the disgusting man's arms, and seeing her former best friend and classmate stand next to the villainous Nakamura was a double blow.

Komatsu is evil. She's a criminal, a murderer.

She ignored the mixture of stares she was getting, that is, until a certain prefect decides to grab her casted wrist.

"Herbivore, what did you do to your arm?"

She turned to look at him questioningly, and he growled at her lack of immediate response. Kumiko turned to get her writing pad and pencil, but froze as soon as Komatsu's eyes locked onto hers. Komatsu's hand crept threateningly towards her pocket.

_No...not here! Not now! I..._

She ripped her hand out of Hibari's grasp before he could even blink, and was running off towards her homeroom. Hibari stared after her retreating figure before turning to ram his tonfas into a latecomer who'd tried to sneak in the school gates without him knowing. The poor student collapsed immediately, having taken the full brunt of Hibari's frustration.

* * *

><p><em>Mukuro yawned to himself as he watched the younger Hibari Kyoya discipline the late students. The situation below was quickly deteriorating into a very one-sided fight, and fearful screaming could be heard, no doubt induced by those painful metal sticks. "Kufufufu~ There goes the skylark! As violent as ever." He snickered as Hibari looked up in irritation, almost as if he could hear him. Giving Hibari a lazy wave from his perch on the rooftop, Mukuro chortled once more as Hibari's eyes narrowed in fury and he started stomping his way into the school building, no doubt to eventually make his way up to where Mukuro was and attempt to kill him. Students parted for the murderous prefect, scurrying away from the fearsome aura that surrounded him. Mukuro turned disinterestedly back to the view below.<em>

_His own heterochromatic eyes narrowed at the sight of Koizumi Kumiko struggling into the building with a broken wrist and a heavy schoolbag. He was tempted to follow her, but he knew that she would probably just freak out or have a nervous breakdown since she can only sense his movements but not see his figure. She'd probably think the ghost of that dead girl was haunting her or something. He thought for a moment, weighing the odds of taking action. _

_He decided to wander to Kokuyo Land. His younger self was more naive, and probably wouldn't mind the older Mukuro making decisions for him anyway. At least, that's what he hopes. He himself knew very well how stubborn he could get. Grinning at the complexity of his own thoughts, Mukuro stretched and exited the roof just as the sadistic prefect entered, effectively keeping out of his sight. Chuckling at the coincidental triumph, Mukuro focused on the task at hand. _

_First, stealing two sets of Namimori Middle uniform. One boy's and one girl's. Making his slow way across town to Kokuyo Land, he contemplated what he was now trying to do. He was trying to put his younger self into the picture. In the timeline where Mukuro now resides, he hadn't become involved with Kumiko until her relationship with the irritable skylark was already well underway. Still feeling aftereffects of strong jealously, Mukuro decided that he wanted to insert his younger self into the equation well before Kumiko and Hibari started to get along. He was an illusionist, and knowing his own interests, his younger self would soon want Kumiko for himself. _

_Maybe he'd have more of a chance at her heart this way. _

_Upon reaching the broken down amusement park that was his old home, Mukuro wrinkled his nose. The life his younger self had lived here was incomparable to the luxury he was now surrounded by through living in the Vongola Headquarters in Italy. Sawada Tsunayoshi was a generous man, even though he'd tried to take over his soul numerous times in the past few years. He was thwarted in every single attempt by Tsuna's pestering guardians, and he'd nearly gone deaf after Ryohei screamed in his ears for 30 minutes about how 'SAWADA IS EXTREMELY KIND TO YOU SO STOP BOTHERING HIM TO THE EXTREME!'. He decided that his sanity was worth more than possessing Tsuna, and so settled to destroy the Mafia later. He can always come back from the other side of the cycle anyway, so he had all the time in the world to plot the downfall of the Mafia. _

_That was before he met Kumiko. She'd made him feel wanted, and was always friendly towards him. At first, he avoided her like the plague. Idiocy was contagious, after all. She gave off the same accepting vibe that Tsuna himself gave off, except with a more feminine and motherly touch. She was the only one who'd remembered his birthday, he realized, as he touched the deep purple lucky charm dangling from his neck. _

_Mukuro's grown attached to her ever since he had created a voice for her out of his own illusions. For some reason, Kumiko couldn't get her voice box to work accordingly with her brain, thus rendering her mute. He'd then pestered technicians and doctors alike to make an artificial way of linking her voice box with her brain. Soon, she was speaking normally, albeit sometimes stuttering a bit. _

_He didn't want her to be anchored to him, as much as he'd like her to stay by his side. He liked her for her free personality, which would probably be destroyed if he'd chained her will to his. However, Kumiko was never one to hide her gratitude. She'd thanked him repeatedly throughout the years, but hadn't followed him blindly like Chrome had done. Kumiko understood almost as much as himself that his illusions were for his own gain, and she'd paid off her debt to him simply by being there to banter with him at dinner time. He found it rewarding enough to just simply hear her voice. Mukuro supposed that's what Daemon Spade had found within Elena, and he finally understood what it felt like to love and possibly be loved in return, though her feelings never went beyond friendship._

_Of course, the skylark took possession of her first. _

_Mukuro stepped cautiously inside the building. Even though he was much more competent at time travel than Hibari was, he didn't want to activate Time Lapse either. Especially since this would be the first time that his younger self would see him. He only had a limit of 4 minutes 59 seconds to talk to his younger self and inform him of his intentions. It was going to be a tricky operation, since the longer he stayed in contact with his self in the same universe, the more he would feel stuck, and the less chance he would have of escaping and preventing this world from self-combusting. _

_It was a difficult situation, but Mukuro found that difficult situations intrigued him more than they deterred him. So, feeling mildly amused at the challenge ahead, and still elated with the inkling of hope he'd found in this world, Mukuro stepped into his younger self's room._

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><p>"Mukuro-sama."<p>

"Kufufu~ What is it, Chikusa? Has Ken accidentally ate too much plastic for his stomach to digest?"

"There's another Mukuro-sama that's here to see you. He looks older."

Mukuro looked up from the worn magazine that he was casually flipping through. "Oh? Is that so? Send him in then. I would very much like to see how I look when I'm older, though you might want to tell the impostor to drop the act once I see him or else this trident's going through his brain."

Chikusa adjusted his glasses and went outside to inform the waiting man. Mukuro felt a chill go down his spine as a laugh identical to his own rolled into the room, followed by a well polished shoe coming into view. Keeping an uninterested look plastered to his own face, he only truly let his shock shine through when his eyes met those of his visitor's.

"Kufufufu~ Now that you see I'm no illusion, I would like you to listen to what I have to say."

"Oya, oya. What is this? My future self pays me a visit? Are you not a skilled illusionist in disguise?"

"I may be, or I may not. Feel free to test me, but I doubt your muscles will be listening to you now. Is that proof enough that I'm the real you from years later in the future?"

_Time Lapse! _Mukuro of this timeline knew very well what was happening as he found that he was frozen in place. He'd only heard of the effects of Time Lapse though, since his older self had never visited him before. He was aware of his abilities since the Estraneo family had messed with his life by experimenting on him. One of the weird abilities he'd gained from their experiments, along with the skill to walk the 6 paths, was that he could travel through time.

"If you will, you may keep considering this condition as purely a psychological trick of your own mind, but that doesn't tune down the importance of the matter at hand." Older Mukuro didn't seem bothered in the least.

"Oh? Time Lapse. You're taking quite the gamble to come here, older me."

"Kufufufu~ Its worth it."

"How so?"

"I'm giving you an opportunity to get closer to Sawada Tsunayoshi so that you may possess his body and use it to destroy the Mafia. As much as I'd hate to admit it, I have failed that task in my timeline."

"Kufufu. How pathetic, my dear future me. I, for one, would stop at nothing to get the job done."

"It's not as easy as it seems, younger me. There are other factors to consider."

"Such as?"

The older Mukuro grimaced. He was going too far off topic. It seemed baiting his younger self was harder than it seems. Well, some part of himself felt proud at the fact. He was always one of higher intellect, after all. Even at such a young age, verbal manipulation would go nowhere with younger Mukuro. It's better to cut straight to the chase. Besides, the clock was still ticking. 3 minutes left until negotiations are best left for another time.

"You will have to find out for yourself someday. I wish you best of luck. However, I have come up with a cheat tactic, should you choose to use it. It does involve annoying the Skylark, so that's a hidden bonus, kufufu~ You see, there is a certain girl called Koizumi Kumiko who currently attends Namimori Chuu. You can use her as an excuse to get closer to Tsunayoshi, since he would probably come running to confront you if you ever tried to incorporate Kumiko into your plans to destroy the mafia. She is quite unusual, but no doubt easy to manipulate. If you are lucky, he would tell his guardians not to interfere with your resulting fight since he feels so strongly about innocent people staying out of dubious relationships with the Vongola. If you are unlucky, Gokudera Hayato and the rest of his despicable guardians will probably be sticking their noses into the event, but all the more reason to destroy them all at the same time, no? There, you can possess him."

Mukuro of this time contemplated his future self's proposal, all the while trying not to let the pressure from Time Lapse to concern him. Older Mukuro waved a hand lazily in farewell and faded away, leaving no evidence of his visit other than the sets of uniform and a note stating that Chrome should be used to befriend the shy, brown haired girl known as Koizumi Kumiko.

Mukuro glared at the items before throwing himself casually back upon the sofa once more. Trust himself to complicate things for himself.

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><p>Kumiko got through the rest of the day without incident. Everyone seems to be avoiding her, and she'd reverted back to her old schedule with ease. This time, there were no untimely interruptions from the ghostly figures that she'd to deal with yesterday. Even the memory of her encounter with Nakamura seemed like a distant nightmare, only resurfacing whenever Komatsu turned around to give her a leering smile. Komatsu had asked to be moved from her old seat, which had been placed to Kumiko's immediate right, and was now surrounded by her own group of 'friends'. Kumiko knew, however, that by staying alone, she was at more of an advantage. She just had to find an opening. Komatsu probably started spreading rumors and everyone was probably keeping an eye out for any suspicious behaviour on her part, but being alone gave her more time to think about the things that she has to do.<p>

She started brainstorming as soon as she set foot inside the library. Hibari only occasionally comes here to nap, but only when it's devoid of all people or when it's raining outside. The probability of it raining was quite low, being winter and all. Also, many end of term tests were coming up, so a lot of people were currently chattering busily away in the library.

Kumiko had taken to wearing heavy winter clothing, even indoors. She constantly had a scarf on to hide all the hickeys that were given to her by Nakamura, and she refuses to take off the black tights she'd taken to wearing, because they cover up the bruises that mark her lower legs. She didn't have to worry about the black and blue skin that spanned her back because she had her shirt and sweater on at all times, and there aren't any swimming classes during winter anyway.

* * *

><p>The next day, she wasn't so lucky.<p>

"Class! Settle down! We are so fortunate as to have yet another _two_transfer students join our class!"

The teacher beamed at her students, but in everyone's minds, there was only one thought. _Were these people only admitted into our class because Amane died? _Seemingly unaffected by the solemn mood her students are now currently in, the teacher gestured to the doorway.

"Now then, please welcome in the siblings: Rokudo Mukuro and Chrome Dokuro!"

Immediately, squeals erupted from all the members of the class save a still frowning Kumiko. All the boys shot jealous glares at Mukuro and oogled at Chrome (except for Tsuna, who was too busy trying to dig his own grave under his desk and stop Gokudera from blowing the place up at the same time), while the girls all gave appreciative glances towards Mukuro and sent wary looks in Chrome's direction (except for Kyoko, who was happily waving at the shy female illusionist). The pineapple haired duo quickly gave introductions, Mukuro's silky voice leaving many females swooning, and Chrome's cute stutter painting blushes across many of the boys' faces.

"Settle down! Alright, here are the seating arrangements! Mukuro, you will be taking that spot directly behind Sawada Tsunayoshi! I take it you are tall enough to see over his hair, yes? And Chrome, will you be so kind as to sit by the window, in that empty spot near Koizumi Kumiko. Koizumi, raise your hand!"

The whole class looked at the empty seat, and the teacher's eyes softened in understanding. "Amane was a valuable member, everyone. We won't ever forget her. But it's okay to welcome new people too! Everyone, give a round of applause and welcome for our two new transfer students!"

Hesitantly, the class clapped. All except for Komatsu, who had taken the opportunity of the brief distraction to send a wink in Kumiko's direction.

_I killed her._

Kumiko's head spun. She was starting to feel faintly sick.

_Just for the heck of it. _

Komatsu's mockingly knowing expression filled her gaze. Her eyelid came down once more, her wink shaking Kumiko to the core. That cold-hearted murderer. That _bitch. _Kumiko felt furious beyond belief. For the first time in her life, she felt the raging need to hurt someone.

_It was fun, watching her burn._

Without thinking, Kumiko had stood up, passing a very confused Chrome on the way. She weaved her way through the smaller desks, uncaring of the scathing looks that were directed at her. Passing Mukuro, she didn't hear his 'Kufufu~' as he identified her as the girl the were supposed to meet. She mouthed the words to Komatsu.

_**I'm not scared of you.**_

And then she was bringing her one good hand down on her arch enemy's face, taking deep satisfaction in the crack that resounded from her slap. A red mark started spreading across Komatsu's left cheek, while the girls around Komatsu leapt up in fury. Before they could even strike Kumiko back, Sensei got to her first.

"KOIZUMI KUMIKO! THAT WAS ABSOLUTELY UNNECESSARY! DETENTION!"

The little blue slip was placed forcefully into her half clenched right hand, an innocently earned ticket to Hibari Kyoya's office.

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><p>AN: As always, thanks to those who have reviewed and favorited and put this story on alert! **Last Chapter's Reviewers: ****BreeRenee, 666AnimeFan666, TimeIsRunningOut999**

**Oh, and I want to clarify something that TimeIsRunningOut999 kindly pointed out to me.**

First of all, I hope there isn't any major confusion about Kumiko's current disability. She has shown that she can speak ten years from now, and I've partly explained the reason why in this chapter. However, even though she's been mute for most of the other chapters, it is in my understanding that mutes are able to cry out and gasp and make small noises. Some can whistle too. Their abilities to produce noise varies from person to person, and I've just decided to make Kumiko able to make more noises for the convenience of this plot. Sorry if I've confused anyone! Also, feel free to point out any mistakes I've made, or give me any questions you have about the plotline. Thank you to **TimeIsRunningOut999** for correcting me ^.^

Also, I feel the need to clarify on the different kinds of text in this story. I know, the time thing is really confusing.

Normal happenings

_"Kumiko using sign language" (Note the quotation marks)_

_Written mostly from the POV of one of the 'Ten Years Later' characters; either Hibari or Mukuro most likely._

_**Mouthed words, or strong thoughts. Usually clarified before appearance. **_

Once again, thank you everyone for supporting this story!


	12. Fights

Disclaimer: I don't own Katekyo Hitman Reborn!  
>Rating: T; slight torture! Do not read if you can't handle cuts and bruises. There's no rape of any kind, so I'm not moving the rating up.<p>

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><p>Fights<p>

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><p>Facing the 'oak door of doom', as many Namimori students dubbed the entrance to Hibari Kyoya's lair, Kumiko tried to muster the strength to knock on the wood. It was no use waiting outside, she told herself. Hibari was probably already informed of her actions in class and was most likely already expecting her arrival. But still, she didn't want to raise her hands and tap on that wood. Who knows what Komatsu might do in a fit of fury upon seeing her actions. Komatsu could just blow the school up and say it was her fault for finding ways to interact with Hibari, or she could just blow it up for being slapped in class, or she could just blow it up for the heck of it...<p>

_Because she likes watching people burn..._

"What are you doing, herbivore?"

Kumiko squeaked, startled at the sudden appearance of Namimori's demon. She looked up at Hibari and hurriedly ducked her head, glancing to the side in hopes that Komatsu wasn't looking. Unfortunately for her, Komatsu was carefully observing her from the windows of the nurse station, scowling at her when her interaction with Hibari was once again noted.

Hibari himself scowled slightly at the girl's lack of movement and turned away to stalk into his office, obviously expecting the girl to follow. Kumiko dragged her feet, also treading hesitantly into Hibari's office. She sent stares back at Komatsu once in a while, all the while so conscious of the taller girl's hand inside her pocket. Just one click of a button...

"Sit down."

It wasn't a request; it was an order. Kumiko reluctantly sat down in the chair opposite the head prefect's, making sure not to make any kind of eye contact. Hibari glared at her dipped head and then finally went back to scribbling on the paper that was scattered all over his desk. A tense silence ensued between the two of them, but both were used to silence anyway.

Unknown to the girl, Komatsu had actually tagged the girl with a listening device and hidden camera on her scarf, which meant that she was able to listen in to the girl's conversation anyway. If she was acting weirdly, encounters with the head prefect was inevitable, which mean that some lenience had to be given to Kumiko in order for Nakamura to fully enjoy the 'game'. Komatsu tapped her ear and blinked thrice to activate the receiver in her ear and the contacts that were connected to the camera. After a momentary black flash, she was able to hear and see everything that Hibari was doing through Kumiko's perceptions.

Kumiko still wasn't looking up at the prefect. At least, not until he spoke first.

"Herbivore, you haven't answered my question. What did you do with your arm?"

Kumiko flinched at the harsh tone, shakily accepting the pen and paper that Hibari offered her. She considered writing the truth of her encounter onto the page, but she didn't want to risk it. Komatsu and Nakamura were both smart individuals, they would catch on soon enough, and then Namimori Chuu would be gone, along with the innocent students in it.

_"I tripped and broke it when I was trying to stop my umbrella from flying away after the funeral."_

Komatsu snorted at the sentence. Seriously? She thought the Head Prefect was going to fall for that?

Sliding the sheet back to an expectant Hibari, Kumiko awaited his reply.

"Pathetic."

She winced again. He'd judged her without even thinking. It hurt. It hurt so much, to be looked down on without being fully understood. She wanted him to see the real situation at hand so badly, her hand was shaking. But she couldn't. She couldn't...

"Pathetic." Hibari mumbled once more, unable to stop himself. He reached towards her, gently grasping her chin and pulling her face towards him. To him, she was a weak herbivore, one not even worth acknowledging, one at the bottom of the food chain. Yet, there was an irresistible pull in his heart to erase the pain in her eyes. Older Mukuro's words bounced in his skull, and his eyes softened. She was in pain, and he could help her...

Kumiko stiffened at his touch. It was firm and demanding, much like Hibari's own personality. His fingers were smooth on her skin, dry and cool to the touch. She resisted the temptation to lean into his hand. It was comforting. It felt safe. She felt safe with him.

Her scarf slipped, presenting a set of red marks trailing down her smooth neck. Kumiko gasped softly and Hibari's eyes hardened. He felt...disappointed. And hateful, and disgusted with both himself and her. Of course, this herbivore already has someone helping her. Of course. All herbivores crowd together to help each other, don't they?

He pulled back quickly, ignoring the desperate and pleading looks that were directed to him from the herbivore sitting in front of him. She was nothing more than a herbivore, depending on other herbivores to survive. The love bites on her neck showed as much. He ignored her as she hurriedly tightened the scarf and then left without a word.

Only carnivores walk alone anyway.

* * *

><p>Kumiko felt devastated.<p>

_Damn that Nakamura..._

She swiped away the tears from her face angrily, glaring when she saw Komatsu waving cheerily from the nurse's office in the window opposite.

Her feelings were raw and new to her. She'd never felt so safe before, excluding the days when her mother still held her and combed her hair softly. She wanted to walk back into the room and tell him everything, open her mouth and breath it all out in a torrent of words, but she didn't want him to die. She didn't want Hibari to get hurt. The situation is maddening, risky and stupidly unsolveable.

Kumiko ran to the art room, yanking up a fresh canvas. She needed to paint, to think her feelings through, to find out a way to tell Hibari about the bomb. She knew that she liked him, and that her feelings ran quite deep. She'd liked him ever since he had become the Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee, ever since she'd first met him, actually. He protects the students of this school. She liked him because he protected and disciplined, because he made her feel safe. This is why she never questioned his motives when she'd chanced upon him beating up students in the corridor before. Because she knew that he was doing it to keep Namimori safe and disciplined, a relatively peaceful environment for 'herbivores' like her.

Picking up the brush, she marked the white canvas with streaks of black and red, angrily sketching up his face, his beautiful slanted silvery-blue eyes. His steely glare was absent, the eyes softened just a little, making him look hesitant but not as terrifying as Kumiko had once found him to be. His gaze was blank, but his eyes showed emotion. Kindness. For once in her life, she found real kindness within him.

_He'd wanted to help her._

Burying her head in between her knees, her sobs wracked her small frame. The portrait of Namimori's head prefect stared back at her, impassive but impossibly gentle at the same time.

* * *

><p><em>Hibari gaped blankly at the book in front of him, his mind not registering the words that lined the page. How could he, when she was lying in bed, right next to him? He trailed his hands through her hair once more, his mind straining to concentrate on the pages. It was impossible.<em>

_Giving up, he marked his page meticulously, and then clicked the lights shut, sliding smoothly into the blankets beside her. His arms automatically encircled her, drawing her closer to his chest. He can keep her close. He can keep her safe. _

_Her eyes flickered, and she blinked up at him sleepily. "Kyoya?" She questioned. He tangled his hands through her hair once more, slowly leaning forward. Their lips connected, and Hibari assumed the lead immediately. Each kiss they shared was similar to their last, yet each one was unique in it's own way too. Her sweet smell invaded his senses, making him automatically pull her closer. She moaned as the kiss deepened, Hibari brushing his tongue against her bottom lip to open her mouth. _

_Slipping his tongue inside, he twined it with hers, savoring the way she reacted gently, sweetly, submissively. Herbivore in every aspect, he mused. Breaking off the kiss, he grazed his hands over her eyes softly, knowing that he wouldn't be able to resist the disappointed look she was shooting him. Suddenly, she moved, her face buried into his neck and her arms wrapped around his torso. _

_"Kyoya?," She began. _

_**Don't say it. Don't. Just go to sleep, and everything will be just alright. Please...Kumiko...**_

_"Kyoya, don't feel guilty. I forgive you." He could feel her lips curve into a graceful smile, still pressed against his neck. Her warmth started disappearing slowly, her breath no longer tickling his ears. He desperately tightened his grasp. He almost shoved her away from him when crimson liquid started flowing down her cheeks right in front of his eyes. Her grip on him loosened. The bedsheets surrounding the couple bloomed into red and pink. Her brown eyes were still staring up at him, but now they were blank, lifeless. _

_He refused to let her go. He pressed his lips against her forehead, uncaring of how the blood marred his lips. He clutched her closer, uncaring of the limp way she moved across the mattress. Like a lifeless ragdoll._

_**Don't leave me.**_

_Hibari opened his eyes. A dream, he realized. A twisted fragment of his imagination and subconscious. His hands were outstretched, reaching for something he'd never hold again. _

_He pulled them back slowly._

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><p>Kumiko stayed after school in the art room, painting her sorrows and worries away. She painted trivial things, like the leaves on the cherry tree, and fish leaping out of the water. If she so much as thought of painting a message to Hibari, she knew she'd get tracked down. Every one of her movements felt restricted, watched.<p>

Sliding her brushes back into the brush holder at the front of the classroom, she glanced at the time. She was grateful that Hibari hadn't tried to stop her from staying in the art room, even with their more than uneasy encounter during her detention. She had sensed his disgust and disappointment, but was unsure of the meaning behind those looks. Writing it off as simple looks of contempt, Kumiko had decided to put the confusing prefect out of her mind.

"Oya, oya. Why are you staying so late after school?"

Startled at the new voice, Kumiko looked up to see another handsome male leaning by the doorway. She bowed in greeting, and was rewarded with a nod of acknowledgement.

"Kufufu~ Are you Koizumi Kumiko?"

She nodded in response and smiled when the male chuckled again. She could sense no malicious intent from him, and so was able to approach him fearlessly. Mukuro sauntered over, pulling back her canvas to look at her painting.

"Oh? Cherry blossoms? Well painted picture too," he praised. "I know a person who hates cherry blossoms though."

Kumiko looked up incredulously. How could someone hate the beautiful delicate, flowers that were so famous in Japan? How could someone hate one of the most simple, yet delightful images of nature? He laughed condescendingly and patted her on the head as if she were a little child.

"Rokudo. Mukuro." A fierce aura suddenly filled the room, and Kumiko scrambled to collect her belongings. The head prefect is here. She can recognize that voice from anywhere.

Mukuro turned to face Hibari. "Speak of the devil." He laughed in confidence, pulling his trident out of thin air. "I suppose you want a rematch?"

"I'll bite you to death."

"Never expected anything else anyway, skylark. Kufufu~"

Pausing briefly to let the brown-haired girl pass, the two arch enemies crossed their weapons, the clang of metal sounding through the school. Hibari grinned in sadistic satisfaction. Finally, someone worth fighting.

* * *

><p>Kumiko turned wary when she heard a commotion in front of her. It sounded either like a mob of stampeding bulls, or the police trying to beat up a group of robbers. In an instant of horrified understanding, she realized that it was a staged mob fight, one that Nakamura had all but promised to unleash on the peaceful town of Namimori.<p>

"Kumiko-chan!" She whirled when her name was called. That voice. She knew that voice. It was the voice of the hated Nakamura. She started running, but again her attempts at escape were in vain.

"Over here!" His arms wrapped around her neck and her mouth, and he dragged her kicking and gasping into an empty alley.

"Shhh. The mob fight's about to start. You and I are going up to that little apartment there, see? We're going to watch the show from there." Kumiko fought violently. She had determination on her side. She wasn't going to be tortured and harassed again. Who knows what that man might do to her? Unfortunately, Nakamura was still too strong. He picked her up easily with one hand, the other hand clenching around her mouth to stop her panicked cries. He started walking up the stairs, grinning at her.

Kumiko could only manage a thin whimpering, occasionally letting out a short cry, but nobody was able to hear her. Panicked tears leaked out of the corner of her eyes. She bit down on her captive's hand, but Nakamura seemed unfazed with the pain. In the apartment, a single armchair is once again placed next to the windows. This time, the chair is facing the window instead of away from it. Nakamura sat down with Kumiko still in his arms, his hands already moving to stroke the sides of her waist. Kumiko struggled and gasped, and amazingly Nakamura stopped.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a knife.

"There's another rule of this game. Hm? It'll give you incentive to keep trying to pass on to the message. See, here's the knight in shining armor~" Nakamura exclaimed cheerfully, pointing towards the mobs of people below.

Much to Kumiko's horror, Hibari was already at the scene, tonfas unsheathed and at the ready. Immediately, the two mobs stopped and turned to look at their lone target. Hibari glared at the disturbers of Namimori's peace. There were numerous scratches and bruises already dotting along his arms. Kumiko realized that it was a result of his skirmish with the new student Mukuro. She has no idea why they were so willing to fight each other.

But what's done is done. Hibari still stood strong. He wouldn't let previous battles and wounds slow down his progress in this fight. He charged first. Kumiko was so intent on watching Hibari strike down his opponents that she didn't notice Nakamura's movements until the man's hands were already stuck under her shirt.

He wasn't reaching for her chest, much to her relief. That relief soon disappeared when she felt something cold stroke across her stomach. Nakamura smiled viciously at the look of shock that crossed her face once more. To him, it was immensely interesting to play with this fascinating new toy. Kumiko was quieter than all of his other victims too, unable to retaliate his actions with verbal sarcasm, the poor girl.

"There's another rule to this game," he repeated. "Just to spice things up a bit." Kumiko nodded, her stomach twisting at the words that were to come.

"For every hit that Hibari lands on the my Yakuza members, I'm going to hurt you a little, okay? Consider it a little...payment."

_NOT OKAY! _She screamed breathlessly as Nakamura drew the blade across her skin, leaving a thin but deep cut along her stomach. Pain fogged her mind, and she gasped silently at the stinging sensation the cut left along her flesh. Nakamura murmured softly in a mockingly comforting tone into her ear as he drew another cut along her arm.

The fight stretched on and on, Hibari landing numerous hits among the enemy. Part of her was glad; he seemed to be winning. Another, more selfish part wanted her wanted him to stop fighting, stop landing hits. The harder he fought, the more she was injured. Sometimes Komatsu would join in on the 'fun', punching her and leaving black and blue marks on her arms, legs and stomach. She soon couldn't find the strength to struggle as she was cut again and again, the stinging sensation flaring through some of her most sensitive spots on her stomach and back. Blood seeped into her uniform, staining it a dark red.

Finally, Hibari was declared the victor. The members of both mobs have been smashed thoroughly into the ground and all bitten to death, as he would put it. Kumiko's cries no longer rang out, her throat already raw from crying out numerous times during the first half of the fight. Nakamura gleefully gave her one last cut along her shoulder blades, and then let her off his lap. She tumbled to the floor limply, seemingly still in shock.

"See you tomorrow in school, Kumiko-chan!" Komatsu's eyes twinkled with malicious playfullness.

Kumiko nodded dumbly as a pile of bandages and ointment was dumped into her lap. Nakamura smirked at her pain-filled expression, tears streaming down her cheeks as she coughed and stumbled away from the nefarious man.

"I don't want you going to the hospital, Kumiko." He gestured to the bandages and ointments. "Be sure to take care of yourself well at home!"

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><p>AN: Thanks once again to the people who reviewed my previous chapter: **mirageseason132, xXBloodyIllusionXx, zHamster and TimeIsRunningOut999**

Thank you to all those who have favorited and put this story on alert! :)

Once again, read and review, everyone! Your support really means a lot to me!


	13. Helpless

Disclaimer: I don't own Katekyo Hitman Reborn! I only own my OCs. Oh! And the cat's description is based off one of xXBloodyIllusionXx's cat. SOOO CUTE XD  
>Rating: Still T :) I have no intention of moving it up, but PM me if you think it's getting a bit <em>too <em>violent.

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><p>Helpless<p>

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><p>"Kufufufu~ dear skylark, are you so eager to destroy your own school?"<p>

"What are you talking about? You're the one destroying it. I'll bite you to death."

Hibari snarled, bringing up both his tonfas to parry the blow that Mukuro swung at him with his trident. Leaping out of range, he glared at the illusionist as Mukuro hopped onto a table in order to chase down the elusive prefect. Hibari flung one of his tonfas, hitting the paint rack behind Mukuro, causing Mukuro to be suddenly splattered in vibrant red and orange. Mukuro chuckled.

"Playing dirty, are we, Hibari Kyoya? Well, I can do that too."

With a blink of his eye, it was quickly switched to the kanji of three. Mukuro laughed eerily, watching as poisonous snakes rained down in the confined space of the art room, coming between the two fighters. Hibari was unfazed. Unlocking one of the hidden catches on his tonfas, he spun them randomly, watching in great contentment as the snakes were flung far away from his figure. He advanced carefully, locking the chains of his tonfas and using them to create a barrier between himself and anything else that Mukuro might throw at him. Mukuro switched to close combat, sprinting forward to clash his trident against Hibari's tonfas.

Hibari twisted his tonfas so that they were facing forward, leaving distance between himself and Mukuro. It would do him no good to rush forward unprepared and get his arms broken, as he'd done in his first fight against the damn pineapple head. Blocking all of Mukuro's trident jabs, he grinned upon seeing an opening. Bringing his tonfa higher, he twisted it downwards and took a shot at Mukuro's head. Mukuro stepped backwards and raised his trident.

_CLANG! _The two battlers danced back and forth in midst of the paint cans and canvases. Mukuro clucked his tongue at Hibari when the prefect accidentally knocked over a newly painted picture. Hibari stopped abruptly. This fight was going nowhere, and he was actually kind of destroying Namimori property. It wasn't disciplined of him to do so, destroying other students' work. Lowering his tonfas, he shot Rokudo Mukuro a dirty glare once more.

"Leave."

Mukuro didn't comment on anything, thankfully. He was too busy staring at the now ripped canvas. Koizumi Kumiko most certainly wouldn't be pleased with this turn of events, especially since that picture looked to be painted so diligently.

Mukuro picked up the broken painting gingerly, placing it back onto the rack. He winced upon seeing the messy array that now adorns the previously beautiful painting. Hibari stared at his opponent's movements, knowing full well that he was the cause of the painting being broken. But no matter, he decided. Kumiko can always draw another one.

Stalking out of the now trashed art room, he slammed the door shut angrily. There is only so much that he can tolerate in one day, and he could feel his anger on the rise. He'd thought that fighting Mukuro would appease at least part of the fierce feeling that smoldered in his chest. Unfortunately, the encounter with the damn pineapple illusionist only worsened the matter. He needed some real prey.

He paced out of the building, his emotions in turmoil and trying to overwhelm him. He needed some outlet, he needed to successfully bite some people to death.

And he is going to get one.

Mukuro found himself capable of regret for the first time in his life. It wasn't when he was staring at the dead bodies of the scientist bastards that tortured him. It wasn't when he took control of poor Lanchia's senses, used him to murder and slaughter, and then threw him away like a discarded toy. It wasn't when he couldn't provide his companions Ken, Chikusa and Chrome with a better place to stay.

He did when he saw the disaster that his brief spar had left behind.

As if in slow motion, Mukuro had seen Hibari back into the canvas. The painting had caught on a sharper corner of the table, slowly dangling and then pulling downwards. The rest was gravity's work. Green, pink and brown left a messy streak down the table leg, and the broken painting collapsed onto the floor.

Mukuro walked over as Hibari could only stand there and stare blankly. He picked it up. It would be so easy to just patch it up with illusionary techniques. The girl wouldn't even notice the difference.

_It would be fake then. Fake...happiness. Disappointing concept, _he concluded.

So he left it as it was. Slowly walking away, he looked back at the marred image once more before sliding the door open and then shut. His foot steps echoed away with a finality.

The night was still. Not a breeze blew through the town, and it felt like the whole place was holding it's breath in fear of Hibari's explosion of rage. Hibari himself was shaking with the effort of not lashing out at anyone and anything that moved.

"Hibari, Hibari!" Hibird hovered at a safe distance from his murderous master. Trilling the Namimori anthem in attempt to calm Namimori's Demon down, Hibird fluttered after him. Hibari looked up, letting a small twitch of his lips acknowledge the bird's presence. Nobody should know his uncontrollably bloodthirsty nature, save for Hibird, who's animal senses could definitely pick up the alarming rise in his bloodlust. Hibird knew that Hibari was a monster, and yet still willingly followed his master faithfully. For that, Hibari was grateful. He offered a finger to the bird. He would never hurt small animals.

Suddenly, a large cry came out of the area in front of him. Hibari's eyes narrowed, his bloodlust increasing tenfold. Finally, _finally. _A chance to bite people to death. A chance to beat somebody bloody for a justified reason. He let a smirk creep onto his face, his tonfas already revealed and glinting of the shallow moonlight provided by the meager sliver of silver in the sky. The darkness melted into silvery glows, illuminating one side of Hibari's face.

This carnivore is going hunting tonight.

* * *

><p>Nakamura surveyed the scene carefully. The two mobs were in place, blinking confusedly at their leader.<p>

"FIGHT EACH OTHER, YOU FUCKING IDIOTS!" Nakamura hollered at them. Honestly, these subordinates were inadequate for his genius plans. He should've taken over a much worthier town, not this dinky little place in the middle of freaking nowhere.

With a roar, he started the scrimmage. Lifting one of his own subordinate's hands, he swung it squarely into another man's eye, making said man howl and drop to his feet, holding his head. Nakamura watched happily as the meat heads quickly caught up, and a bloody fistfight ensued. Again, there was desperation in the punches they were throwing. Either kill or be killed, and none of the men were willing to chance Nakamura's anger. They were careful, though, not to break anything. Both teams had bigger fish to fry.

Footsteps tapped lightly down the alleyway to their right. Bloodlust wrapped delicate tendrils around the hearts of the two involved mobs of people, squeezing into their minds painfully and filling it with the deliciously terrifying sensation of unadulterated fear. Hibari stepped out into the open, his jacket fluttering behind him majestically. He raised his hands, tonfas gripped tightly.  
>"Kamikorosu." He spat, before rushing into action. Nakamura chuckled in the shadows as Hibari started beating his men easily, even when they were coming at him more than three at a time.<p>

A terrified whimper sounded from his side. He turned his attention back to his brown-haired captive. He'd caught her trying to get home shortly after the mob fight started, and took great pleasure in keeping her next to him to watch the show play out. As the stench of blood filled the air, the darker side of Nakamura got more and more excited. He thirsted for the rich, crimson liquid. And the little snack right beside him seems like the ideal meal.

_I'll only take a few drops, _he promised himself.

Dragging a scared Kumiko into the apartment building, he plopped down onto his temporary throne, keeping eye on Hibari Kyoya's movements. The boy was competent at fighting, capable of taking down opponents twice his size. Too good, almost. Even as he watched, Hibari swept his tonfa sideways, knocking three burly men backwards. Blood sprayed as they landed awkwardly, twisting their necks and breaking their legs. More men rushed to fill the space, and Nakamura grinned at the now gore-filled setting. This show is getting better and better.

He slipped out a knife, pressing it to the smooth skin of his captive. He'd been so, _so _close to losing control last time, teasing himself with pressing love bites against her smooth neck. But at this kind of close proximity, and with the metallic tang of blood wafting through the air so deliciously, Nakamura couldn't help himself. He sliced into her, pressing his hand firmly against her mouth to muffle her screams.

A few minutes later, and the girl had already given up. He chuckled upon seeing the hopeless glaze in her eyes. Taking his sweet time in carving another bloody line across the girl's thigh, he dipped his face to her neck.

_Just a nibble,_ he reassured himself. _Just a small taste. _

He opened his mouth and sank his fangs into her veins.

* * *

><p>Dipping her feet into the bathtub carefully, Kumiko tried not to wince at the the feeling of water lapping at her cuts. Her casted left hand was wrapped carefully in clear plastic. She was filled with hatred, disgust and self-pity. Disgust for her weakness, and for her selfishness. She'd hoped for Hibari to get hurt so that she wouldn't get hurt herself. To her, that was the lowest form of cowardice, and she vowed silently never to think such a way again. Hibari had his own problems to take care of, and she had her own. The two problems were coincidentally from the same source, yet neither can inform the other. What an ironic situation, she thought sardonically.<p>

Strange, because she didn't remember anything from after Nakamura started cutting her, except the profoundly disgusting feeling of having her own blood seep through her uniform and run down her skin. As she lowered her whole body into the bathtub, she tried not to flinch at the tendrils of red that came spiraling out of the cuts criss-crossing across her stomach, back, thighs and arms. Nakamura is smart, she grudgingly agreed, her mind hazy with the pain that came with the feeling of water touching uncovered, wounded flesh.

Nakamura had made sure to cut her in places where she could cover it up easily. Her hands and her face were left unmarked, the skin still smooth and pale as ever. The delicately clear skin contrasted disturbingly with the blemished skin of her stomach. She sighed, rolling over in the bath to grab a bar of soap. Mentally steeling herself for the pain to come, she quickly scrubbed herself down. Rivulets of blood ran as scabs cracked slightly from her rough ministrations. Even so, Kumiko couldn't bring herself to stop the rough treatment that she was putting herself through. She felt tainted with the feeling of the man's hands on her, so she kept on scrubbing in hopes of cleansing herself of his touch.

Satisfied after three rounds of soaping, Kumiko lay back down into the lukewarm water, savoring the way it rolled above her shoulders. It was both refreshing and pain inducing at the same time, an interestingly balanced combination. She didn't want to leave the tub, and she didn't want to stay in it either. After five more minutes, she sighed and sat up. Pulling a towel off the rack, she pressed it gently against her skin, unable to stop a few tears as the pressure cracked open more lines. The skin surrounding the cuts started swelling into nauseating blotches of black. She turned her head away and quickly wrapped herself in her towel.

She slipped on undergarments, careful to leave the wounded areas untouched. She grabbed the plastic bag full of bandages and antiseptic cut cream and flopped onto her bed. Her cat, Kuro, stared up at her with wide yellow eyes. His lanky body tensed, and he leapt up to her bed and nuzzled into her leg. Kumiko gently guided him away. Kuro let out an indignant yowl, and prowled away to chew on the edge of her table. She sighed, seeing him vent his frustrations on her exercise book. Said book is now torn to pieces, her homework fluttering in ruined ribbons to the floor.

There were obvious quirks to living alone, she decided. This way, she won't have a pestering mother to throw questions at her. But part of her longed for the long forgotten memory of soft hands and lips, a tender motherly touch pasting cream softly onto her wounded skin, a palm swiping across her forehead to ruffle her brown locks. A playful tap on her nose, and murmured comforting words. Touches of tenderness and love, and a promise of keeping her safe forever.

Hibari's touch today was as close as she got to the memory.

Sighing, she got to work. Working from feet to shoulder, Kumiko winced at her amateur bindings. The bandages hung loosely in some parts, suffocatingly tight in others, and lopsided in the rest. It's a disaster of a healing attempt, but Kumiko couldn't seek help anyway. She felt trapped, both physically and mentally. How would she ever get to inform Hibari about this situation they were in? Komatsu or Nakamura could choose to set off the bomb at any time, depending on their mood.

The more she covered herself in sterile white, the more her eyes blurred. Tears slipped out unwillingly, splashing onto still uncovered wounds, inducing small gasps from the girl. She felt so abused and used. She felt so helpless. She swiped the tears away, willing herself to be stronger, to endure. She'll find out a way to tell Hibari somehow.

Finally done, she donned her pajamas. It scraped against her cuts agonizingly. Climbing into bed, she clenched her eyes shut and tried to ignore the pain. She faintly felt Kuro curl up beside her, having forgiven her for pushing him away previously. She tangled her fingers into the black cat's ebony fur.

* * *

><p>Hibari emerged from his own shower, steam shrouding his lean figure. He tossed on his clothes casually and then left the bathroom, striding over to the couch and leaning into it nonchalantly. Grabbing the first book at hand, he flipped through it before placing it down.<p>

His hair was ruffled, but he was unharmed. The mobs that he'd sent to the hospital tonight were both unexperienced and stupid. Their movements were uncoordinated and confusing, and many were more concerned with fighting each other than trying to face the boy before them for some bizarre reason. Hibari's bloodied tonfas lay on his rarely used dining table, the red liquid staining into the wooden surface. Hibari sighed. He'd get Kusakabe to polish them for him tomorrow. He really couldn't be bothered.

Tossing his mind back to the events of today, he finally confirmed that he is satisfied with today's 'biting'. He'd managed to break many arms and legs today, and had even been able to get in some serious spinal injuries and neck injuries. His bloodlust was sated for the moment, sinking below the surface of his subconscious like a lake monster returning to the murky depths.

It was kind of ironic that he'd been able to fight Mukuro, and yet still not gain the same level of satisfaction. Mukuro was elusive, and fighting him was a rare occasion for the bloodthirsty prefect. Yet, something had dampened his spirits today, restraining him from being able to really focus on his fight with the sly illusionist.

He wasn't sure whether he should blame the image of sakura painted innocently across a lone canvas, or the name scrawled elegantly in the bottom corner of the painting.

* * *

><p>AN: Once again, thanks to all those who have favorited and alerted. Thanks to **mirageseason132,** who reviewed this chapter. Thanks so much for your support, everyone! Sorry for the (kinda) late update, but I haven't been feeling really well this week and so I've been bedridden most of the time. Hopefully I'll be able to update more, now that I'm on holiday what with Chinese New Year and all.

Kuro means black in Japanese.

Once again, review please!


	14. February

Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. I do own this plot and the OCs in it.  
>Rating: T...do I still have to elaborate? XD<br>A/N: Where I live, it's so cold that I'm using gloves to type out this chapter LOL! Sorry for Kumiko being so useless. I know some of you hate useless, weak and uninteresting OCs, but instead of giving her supernatural strength in the beginning, I believe more in character development. Don't worry, hanging around two strong guys such as Hibari and Mukuro will surely make her stronger sooner or later...

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><p>February<p>

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><p>At 3 am in the morning, all was silent. Save for the occasional cheep of an early bird, the rustle of leaves as the calm breeze stirred tree branches, or the steady drip of dewdrops from the sill outside her window, nothing was making any particular noise.<p>

Her eyes were turned to the ceiling. She was weary, drained of all energy. Any movement caused her to tear up in pain and clench her fists in anger at her weakness. The darkness outside was oppressing, making fear cross her mind multiple times. There was none of the muffled warmth that comes from the swirling ebony atmosphere outside.

Her hands slowly slid sideways, reaching out for her phone. A meager hope that the light from such a small object would chase away the delusional darkness. Upon finding the hard plastic underneath her seeking fingers, she quickly grasped the object. Pulling it towards her in a painstakingly slow manner, Kumiko heaved a small sigh when the phone was in front of her once more. She flipped it open, finding simple comfort in staring at the picture of her parents and her standing by a beautiful lakeside. Unconsciously, she brought her hand to trace against the outline of their figures. Her father, tall and proud, hands wrapped lovingly around her mother. Her mother, beautiful and dainty, her eyes lined with an equal amount of caring and tiredness. She giggled. Being a mother must be tiring, she deduced. No amount of loving will ever be able to cure a mother of the effect of many a sleepless night, dragging herself out of bed to change the diaper of her beloved offspring.

But her mother did it all the same. Kumiko wondered whether she would've grown up to be as loving as her mother had she not died in the accident that day. She still tries to be, but sometimes frustration gets the better of her. It wasn't easy, living the life of a mute, unneeded girl. Nobody in her school pays attention to her, and she's often used as the end of most people's jokes. School is a harsh environment, where she's picked on almost as much as Dame-Tsuna is. Luckily for her, Dame-Tsuna draws attention to himself more with his childishly wrong answers and his girly shrieks of fear, so throughout the years, less and less people have found the need to use her as entertainment.

Her mother provided all the loving and caring she'd needed to get past her childhood days. Her father provided her with confidence, strength and communication skills. She lost it all that night, and she doesn't even remember any of it. She doesn't remember anything save for waking up in a small hospital cot, the nice nurse hovering over her broken body anxiously. Her head had hurt, and when she'd opened her mouth, she couldn't speak anymore.

Snapping her device shut, she placed it carefully among the sheets of paper on the desk. Lifting her hand to rub her eyes, she winced at the sound of bandages being ripped off of her elbow. It was obviously unevenly wrapped, causing the bandage to tear away whenever she made any sudden movements. She ignored the flapping plaster and made her way to the bathroom.

Once inside, she locked the door firmly. Here was one place in the whole world where she wasn't going to be watched. Her clothes lay ruined in a pile in the sink, the rusty coloring of the water around the fabric making her wrinkle her nose. The blood, though mixed with water, was still thick. It looked absolutely disgusting.

Taking a deep breath, Kumiko thrust her hand into the sink and pulled the plug, careful to keep her garments from getting sucked into the resulting whirlpool. She watched her life liquid pour slowly into the drains, leaking away from her very finger tips. Finally all gone, she dumped the clothes into the sink again unceremoniously. Grabbing a bar of soap, she set to scrubbing the blood out of her uniform. Her scarf lay coiled in the sink as well, sopping wet. It looked like the molten skin of a drowned snake. The sight saddened her. Next to the picture on her phone, the scarf was her most precious belonging. Well, she was sure she did. When she'd come to in the hospital that day, the scarf was already lying becide her. Someone left it there for her, she was sure, and that random act of kindness had stuck in her mind ever since.

Leaving her scarf there, she was at loss to find something else to cover her neck with. Deciding that putting on enough clothes to cover her neck is better than getting bitten to death by a malicious prefect, she bravely slipped on a light blue turtleneck, before throwing on her blouse over it. Once the sweater was in place over everything else, she smiled hesitantly at her reflection. All ready to go to school again.

* * *

><p>In the school courtyard, her blue turtleneck stuck out like a sore thumb. She ducked beneath two first years to get past Hibari, who was guarding the gates stiffly. Heaving a sigh of relief once she passed him, she turned to trot into the building.<p>

"Koizumi-san! Koizumi-saaaannn~"

Kumiko turned slowly. She was faced with the 'terrible trio', with Komatsu at the lead. Two sneering girls followed close behind her, make up covering their face in a thick layer. Komatsu glared hotly at Kumiko, thrusting out an accusatory finger at the shorter girl, who cringed.

"Koizumi, you stole my scarf yesterday! I demand you to give it back RIGHT NOW!"

Kumiko shook her head frantically. She didn't take the scarf! It was hers! Turning to run away from Komatsu, she bumped into another girl. Michiyo from her class, she recalled. Michiyo sneered and slapped her hard across the face. Kumiko's head dipped with the strike, gritting her teeth at the stinging sensation that came with it. A sensation that she knew all to well. Kumiko decided that if she could survive Nakamura, she could survive these playground bullies. Letting out an enraged cry, she dove her head straight into Michiyo's stomach. Michiyo screeched and fell backwards, rolling a few meters away with the impact. Komatsu leapt in front of her, both arms outstretched to clamp around her neck. Kumiko yelped at the impact. Her neck is sore, and Komatsu's nails dug into her flesh, leaving more crescent shaped bruises. Komatsu squeezed, and Kumiko started panicking.

_Pathetic. You're pathetic. _

She lashed out with her legs, catching Komatsu squarely in the knee. Komatsu swore under her breath and loosened her grip. Clenching her eyes shut, she turned and ran. Unfortunately, she ran straight into someone else.

_The other girl! Crap!_

She struggled, but two arms encircled her and held her in place. Silence fell throughout the courtyard, and Kumiko stopped shaking before tilting her head up questioningly. What she saw made her freeze in place.

Hibari Kyoya was currently glaring down at her, his eyes hiding undeniable rage. Rightly so, since she had caused a scene in the school yard, fought fellow students, not to mention she's not even wearing the correct uniform. She shivered from the strong gaze and tried to back away, but his arms held strong. Trapped in his hold, she could only lower her head and will herself to stop shaking so hard. Hibari's arms tightened.

"Kamikorosu." He snarled at the three girls. Immediately, they all paled and walked away, save for Komatsu, who sent Kumiko another meaningful smirk.

"Herbivore, why aren't you wearing correct school uniform?"

She shook her head dumbly. Hibari frowned and pushed her roughly away from him, unsheathing his tonfas and slamming it into her shoulder. She had to be disciplined. It was a light hit, since hitting girls wasn't something Hibari will do on a daily basis. But Kumiko curled up into a tight ball on the floor and clutched her shoulder with a wordless cry. Blood blossomed, spreading into the white of her uniform. Nakamura had cut her there, and Hibari's 'soft' hit had cracked open the scab. Hibari himself widened his eyes slightly at the sight. He hadn't meant to hurt the small herbivore that badly.

Leaning down, he grabbed her by the arm and yanked her upright. The herbivore's eyes were watery, but she wasn't crying. Not much of an improvement from the last time he'd encountered her, he noted. Disappointing.

"Oya, oya? I never knew you were one to hit girls, Hibari Kyoya."

Hibari growled and shoved Kumiko into Mukuro's arms roughly. "Take her to the nurse."

Mukuro's eyes twinkled in amusement, and he patted the girl on the head in a condescending matter. "Do you want to go to the nurse, Kumiko?" She shook her head fiercely and tried to wrestle her way out of Mukuro's arms. Deja vu. She couldn't do anything, and once again she was just proving her weakness in front of Hibari.

For some reason, that made her feel more ashamed than ever.

* * *

><p>"You again?" Dr. Shamal sighed heavily and sat down. He gestured to Mukuro. "You can leave. I don't treat guys."<p>

"Trident Shamal?" Mukuro recalled. "You gave the skylark the Sakurakura disease, didn't you? Well, I have yet to thank you." Dipping his head in a mocking bow, Mukuro trailed out of the room with a chuckle, leaving the doctor scratching his head.

He turned back to Kumiko, who was desperately trying to blend into the walls. Unfortunately, with a blood splatter like the one she had on her shoulder, such a task is deemed quite impossible. Shamal sighed and reached towards her, pulling her into the chair in front of him. "So, let's see what's wrong, shall we? Do you mind if I take off your shirt?"

Kumiko paled and shook her head. Justified, because who knows what the pervy doctor might do or say. Dr. Shamal sighed. "If I don't take off your shirt to see the wound, how am I supposed to know what's wrong with you..."

"I'll help her," came a quiet whisper from the door. Dr. Shamal looked up to see Chrome standing meekly at the doorway. His eyes widened in delight. "OOOH! Another cute one~ Come on in, come on in!"

"Mukuro-sama sent me to help Koizumi-san." Chrome explained demurely. Dr. Shamal sighed with disappointment.

"Alright, I get it. I'll be behind this partitioning curtain if you need any help, got it? Oh and Chrome-chan, report her condition to me after you're done, alright? No matter what, I'm still the nurse, and a nurse has got to take care of his patients." Shamal got up and whipped the curtain open, snapping it smartly into place once he was behind it. Kumiko turned to eye Chrome warily. Chrome winced at her sharp gaze and Kumiko's eyes softened. It was hard to be smart towards such a meek girl. Besides, both of the girls were really shy by nature, so being scrutinized by a stranger is definitely something Kumiko can relate to.

_"So? How are we going to do this?" _Waving her writing pad in Chrome's face, Kumiko patiently waited for the girl's answer. Chrome bit her lips and pointed at the antiseptic cream in the corner, before hurrying to the cabinet to get rolls of gauze and elastic bandages. Kumiko took her shirt off warily, peeling the turtleneck away from her body with great reluctance. There was a gasp, and Kumiko turned to see Chrome looking at her with horror.

"Y-your..whole...body?" Kumiko nodded at the insinuation that came with the words. The bandages that she'd tried to wrap around herself was already in tatters, falling off her wounds like petals off a withering flower. It revealed her marked skin underneath, striking red and pink crisscrossing across her skin. Chrome backed away and walked to the other side of the partition. Kumiko was left scrambling for her blouse as Dr. Shamal walked in.

Dr. Shamal had a serious expression on this time. He glanced at Kumiko, who had only buttoned her shirt up halfway, noting the scars and scabs that marked her smooth skin immediately. He sauntered over to the sink and washed his hands, snapping on gloves and grabbing bottles of cream, ointments of all sizes, and the gauze pads that Chrome had already dumped onto the table.

"Lie down." He ordered. Kumiko did as he said, careful to keep her skirt from flapping upwards. Suddenly, the room was filled with mist. Kumiko's eyes flicked around the room, startled, until she saw that the mist was coming from Chrome. Before she could shout out in alarm, the girl disappeared. The room darkened, leaving the only light spot being where her wounds are. Dr. Shamal chuckled. Chrome was using her illusionary skills to make sure his eyes didn't pry.

He wasn't going to, anyway. It was rare that patients coming to him were injured to this degree.

Shamal got to work, peeling the rest of the bandages off of her body. Kumiko squirmed under his touch, but she knew that he couldn't see the rest of her, so she lay still once more. Shamal started spreading cream across her wounds, grimacing at the sheer number of them. What did this girl do for fun? Hurt herself?

Finally, the bandaging was done. Shamal grabbed a clipboard as the room lightened up once more, revealing a blushing and sheepish Chrome by the doorway. Kumiko nodded at her in thanks and Chrome stuttered back a "Y-y-your w-welcome..."

Kumiko put her clothes back on carefully, leaving the turtleneck out this time. Shamal had bandaged her bruised neck, so nobody was going to see the love bites anyway. She bowed in thanks to the doctor, who only raised a hand absently in acknowledgement before turning back to his scribbling. Chrome led the girl out and back to her classroom.

* * *

><p>"Kyo-san!" Kusakabe burst breathlessly into Hibari's room, only to get a tonfa in the face. Hibari was having yet another bad day, and a sudden interruption was not amusing. Kusakabe straightened immediately and handed a few sheets over to the head prefect, who raised a slender eyebrow in question.<p>

"This is Dr. Shamal's report on one of the students. Apparently, she got hurt quite badly, but the cause is unknown."

Hibari's eyes scanned over the report.

_Bruises and deep cuts all over her body. Heavy bruises and what seems like bite marks on her neck. Her left wrist is broken, but it seems like an older wound. The cuts and bruises are quite new, only a couple of days old at the least. _

_Koizumi Kumiko, huh. What a surprise. _Hibari sighed, tossing the report to the side of his desk. He got up to stride out the door, with Kusakabe calling after him worriedly. Hibari reached the 2A classroom, eyes narrowing at the noise level on the other side of the walls. He slammed the door open. Silence draped itself over the class immediately, everyone scrambling to sit at their respective desks once again.

"Koizumi Kumiko. Come here."

The teacher cowered in fear when Kumiko didn't respond immediately. She walked up to Kumiko's desk and tapped the wood hurriedly, telling her to get up. Kumiko stood up resignedly. She was going to face Hibari Kyoya sooner or later anyway. Komatsu stared at her, tapping the side of her skirt discreetly. Kumiko's eyes didn't even bother to look her way. She knew the consequences already.

Once outside the classroom, Hibari led her wordlessly to his office once more. Suddenly turning, he grabbed her sleeve and pushed it up towards her shoulder, revealing her bare arm. Kumiko bit her lips as the motion scraped against her wounds. Hibari stared at the sheer number of cuts that covered her arms only, and Kumiko clenched her fist. _Pathetic. _His words echoed through her mind. He was going to judge her again.

"Who did this to you?" Quiet fury was detected in Hibari's voice. Kumiko looked to the window and saw Komatsu waving at her from the floor below. She pursed her lips and whipped her head from side to side. She wasn't going to give anything away. Hibari's frustration grew. This happened every single time he was with her. Every single time, she didn't give him the information he wanted. Every single time, he's had to force it out of her somehow. Can't she see that he needed to catch the culprit because whoever it is is a threat to Namimori? Can't she see that he needed her to tell him to protect the school?

_Can't she see that all he wants to do is to stop the culprit from hurting her again?_

* * *

><p><em><em>A/N: Thank you ever so much to **bluenari**, who reviewed my last chapter. Sorry for the recent slowness in update :) I will work harder to update sooner! Thanks to all those who have reviewed, favorited and alerted, showing support for the story this far, I hope you guys still like the plotline...

And last but not least: PLEASE REVIEW! I've been only getting one review per chapter for the last few chapters, and I would really like to know how the others think. I hope I'm not being too pushy, but I'm just hoping for just a few more responses, that's all!

I'll update sometime next week! Probably early on, like Monday or something. Bye for now! Thanks everyone!


	15. Resolve Versus Irritation

Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn! I only own my OCs and the plotline.  
>Rating: T<br>A/N: Sorry for the long wait, but FINALLY there is some development of feelings between the two. I hope you guy haven't ditched the story because I took too long to make them lovey dovey heh heh heh...

* * *

><p>Guardian Angels<p>

* * *

><p>"Ciaossu."<p>

"Baby." Only an inclination of his head informed Reborn of Hibari acknowledging his presence. Hibari went back to staring out the window. Kumiko was weaving her way through the classroom, trying to get past the jeering looks that many of her classmates sent her. Reborn smirked upon following Hibari's gaze.

"Koizumi Kumiko, right?"

"Ah." Hibari didn't even bother to turn, but his short reply was all that Reborn needed to work on.

"Your future self told me to send you a message."

"Hn." Hibari wasn't interested. He was too focused on finding the bullies that may have given Kumiko her wounds when he wasn't looking. Komatsu's sneering expression caught his attention, but he dismissed it upon seeing how weak the girl is. Maybe her beefy looking male friends? How about that disgusting crowd of herbivores that follow her every move? Reborn hopped lightly onto his desk, tapping his hand against the wood to demand the prefect's attention.

"He said that resolve to protect trumps irritation. I take it you know what that means?"

Hibari mulled over the statement for a bit. Resolve meant it involved the size of his flame, most likely. Resolve to protect? He had nothing to protect except this school. And when this school is under attack, he feels irritation. Therefore, resolve to protect cannot come over irritation, since they are basically the same thing for Hibari. Hibari glared down at Reborn, who smirked devilishly up at the motionless prefect.

"I take it you still don't understand. Don't worry, you'll soon be able to find out."

Hibari 'hn'ed again. "Baby, teach me about time travel. It will be beneficial for my battles."

"Still looking for strong opponents, Hibari?"

"Are you volunteering?"

"Of course not. You are not capable of fighting me with your current ablities yet, Hibari Kyoya."

Hibari scowled. He knew this himself, yet he wanted a challenge. Reborn provided that challenge. His bloodlust is always only barely contained when he's meeting with the infant hitman. He wanted to fight Reborn badly, yet he himself knew that he was too weak. He needed to get stronger. He wanted the power of time travel to be leashed and in his control. He didn't want to feel helpless against his own bloodthirsty nature.

"I cannot teach you how to time travel, but I know someone who can."

"Hn?"

The door to the disciplinary committee office creaked open, and Hibari's eyes widened upon seeing who was at the door.

"Yaa~ long time no see, Hibari Kyoya. You too, Reborn."

Reborn smirked and returned the greeting with a tilt of his fedora. "Fon."

* * *

><p>Mukuro yawned, one hand gracefully lifting to cover his mouth. The teacher still caught his action, and frowned at him. Mukuro shot her a winning smile, and she turned away doubtfully. It wasn't right for her students to be so bored in her class. She was trying so hard to be a good teacher. But the atmosphere in the classroom is always tense. Ever since Amane died anyway. Everyone was keeping secrets, she deduced. And she herself had a secret of her own.<p>

The bell rang for the end of class and there was a mad scramble for the door. Mukuro sauntered out behind Sawada Tsunayoshi, chuckling gleefully into the panicking Vongola Decimo's ears. Gokudera whipped out dynamite, and Yamamoto laughed with him, while Chrome trailed behind Mukuro hesitantly, shooting occasional glances back at Kumiko.

Komatsu's pencil case dropped to the floor with a clatter, it's contents spilling across the floor haphazardly. The girl bent down, looking up at her friends once in a while to refuse their help gently, and then continued picking up her stationary. Michiyo and the other girl, Mayu, left her there dubiously. Kumiko was the last to leave, as usual, flinching when Komatsu stuck out her arm and tripped her purposefully she passed her to get to the door. The teacher waited until Kumiko left the room before walking silently over to Komatsu.

"Nakamura says that it's been too boring so far. There's going to be another mob fight tonight, near the bakery on the third street, at around 9 pm. He says that you should wait near the intersection there, and bring Kumiko."

Komatsu nodded to show she'd heard the command. "You're not coming this time?"

"No. Last time, after I returned from buying the bandages and the cream, Hibari Kyoya almost caught sight of me. It would be too risky for me to follow through with both of you."

"Oh yea," Silent Slayer chuckled. "Last time, Nakamura took a bite out of her. She doesn't remember it though. Poor, poor Kumiko. You should've heard her scream. Did you re-tag her? She got the damn scarf wet."

"Yes, but only with a listening device. Nakamura says that the camera won't be here until tomorrow, so make do with the listening device for now."

Komatsu nodded once more before turning to the woman. "You scared?"

Sensei looked confused. Her glasses slipped, and she used one trembling hand to push it upright on her face once more. "S-scared? W-why would I be?" The slightest of stutters entered into her voice, but Komatsu was an expert at picking out such things. She sneered in contempt at the quivering woman.

"The Yakuza isn't something for the weak. You are of no more use to us. Bye bye, sensei~"

Without blinking, she drew a silencer from her pocket, shooting the teacher straight through the head. She stepped back so as not to get a speck of blood on her uniformed self, watching as the teacher toppled over and slumped onto the desk behind her. Tucking her gun back into her shirt and strapping it in place properly, she turned to leave.

"Silent Slayer."

"Hm? The greatest hitman in the world, Reborn." _Don't lose your cool, Komatsu. He's just an observer. You can take him on. You can fight him. There's no way he'll get involved anyway. _"What an honor." Sarcasm dripped from her voice like venom from a snake's fangs. She prided herself in the fact that her voice didn't shake at all.

"Hm." Reborn sent her a smirk, making her stiffen and break out into goosebumps. Silence ensued, only broken occasionally by the dripping of the teacher's blood onto the floor. "Before you wet yourself in fear, I assure you I don't fight my students battles for him. However, this kind of action cannot be ignored. Didn't you take the omerta? You should feel ashamed of yourself for breaking it, runaway boss of the 8th Generation Silenzioso Famiglia. Neglecting your duties and your family like that. You are worse than Dame-Tsuna."

Reborn shook his head slowly, as if deeply disapproving of her actions. His smile betrayed the mockery, and Komatsu froze with fear. There's no way...

_He can't tell on me...he can't make me...I don't want to be captured by the Vindiche...I..._

She lifted the silencer to her own temple, her finger trembling on the trigger. To pull or not to pull?

* * *

><p>Kumiko walked slowly to the art room. She needed some time to herself. She needed to think the situation over. Of course, the more she ignored Komatsu's warnings and interacted with Hibari, the more Nakamura was likely to order for the bomb to be set off. As the sun set behind the mountains of Namimori in the distance, Kumiko felt more alone than ever.<p>

Sliding open the door, she stopped walking in surprise. Leaning against one of her paintings was none other than Hibari Kyoya. With a cry, she noted that her painting had been ripped in half cleanly. She trembled in a mixture of anger and terror. Hibari must hate her. He must be so mad at her.

She tried to back out into the corridor, but Hibari's gaze held her frozen steadily. He prowled forward, looking every bit as graceful as a night time predator. And Kumiko would fill in for the role as prey, she realized. She willed herself to move, but her limbs weren't listening to her commands.

"Herbivore, you haven't yet answered my question. Who did this to you?" Shoving a pen and a piece of paper her way, he waited patiently. Kumiko shook her head and bravely refused the offered items. Hibari growled with frustration.

* * *

><p>His frustration steeled his heart. Irritation pumped through his veins, unintentionally flaring the flame on his ring. He pulled back his frightening aura with some difficulty after seeing her expression of terror towards his ring. She turned her hesitant eyes at him, then pulled her gaze back to his ring. Hibari struggled to contain his emotions. A fierce possessiveness overcame his feelings. He felt like biting something to death.<p>

Hibari wasn't sure when he'd started thinking of her as his herbivore. Maybe it was when he had held her in the bathroom a few weeks after Amane died. Maybe it was when he found that she'd assisted him in the skirmish against the vandalizing seniors. Maybe it was this morning, when the fedora donned baby informed him of his future self's words. _Resolve to protect trumps irritation. _Well, the only two things he guarded fiercely was his school; somehow, his heart had come to accept that the peculiar mute herbivore Koizumi Kumiko was something that he wanted to protect too.

Ever since her presence intrigued him when her Ten Years Later self was killed by his Ten Years Later self. Ever since her brown eyes had looked in his direction, scared out of her mind, when he slammed her into the wall. Ever since he'd saw her crying in the bathroom. Ever since he felt the unnaturally powerful anger when Ten Years Later Mukuro decided to touch her, even if it was a tap on the shoulder. Jealousy, his mind supplied for him. He had wanted to protect her.

In his frustration, he pulled her closer and slammed his lips against hers. Her eyes widened and she let out a small mewl of pain. Her surprise and evident discomfort was enough to make him pull away, albeit reluctantly. His eyes searched her blushing expression, trying to read her thoughts. She looked back at him, a wisp of longing lacing through her eyes. It was all the prompting he needed. This time, at a much slower pace, he lowered his face to hers and gently pressed his lips against hers. He was new to this too, never one to care for the elusive herbivores that sometimes tried to gain his attention through seduction. Somehow his instincts told him what to do. Combing his fingers through her hair, he pulled her closer against him. He didn't want to let her go. Didn't want her to get hurt. Carnivores are supposed to protect their herbivores right? Otherwise, other carnivores might take his herbivore away. His heart raged with a battle of bloodlust and determination.

Her fingers tangled into his hair hesitantly, and he deepened the kiss. Upon his instinct's prompting, he bit down on her bottom lip, drawing a speck of blood. Kumiko gasped and he slipped his tongue inside her mouth carefully. Kumiko wasn't even resisting. She had no kissing experience after all. She was completely useless against Hibari Kyoya's possessiveness.

Hibari's arms encircled her waist for the second time today, this time pulling her closer to his chest instead of shoving her away. His tongue twined around hers dominantly. He squeezed her waist lightly, still intent on plundering her lips with his. One of his hands went to comb through her soft locks and hold her head steady.

Abruptly, they broke apart, both panting for breath. Kumiko looked slightly dazed and Hibari himself was shocked at his own actions. He turned away to sit on a stool nonchalantly, but was stopped immediately. Her right arm went around his neck hurriedly, keeping him in place. He stared down at her curiously, slightly surprised at her open display of strong affection. He had thought she was the kind to shy away and blush at her current predicament.

Kumiko was proud that her eyes stayed dry. When Hibari offered his protection of her so willingly, his arms open and inviting and warm, she had taken the offer. Even though she didn't realize it at first, she now knew that she is in love with him. Or had a crush on him at the very least. Her inner emotions were in turmoil, what with Nakamura's little jabs at her mentality. She felt like she was on her wits end, and if Hibari were to coldly reject her now, she will begin a slow sink into insanity. Her arm latched onto him immediately, hanging on like he's the anchor to keep her living. She had to keep on living and she had to find a solution to this game. She's not about to let her beloved Hibari Kyoya die so soon. Her body trembled with the amount of self pity her heart poured out, but she kept herself upright with pure will. She won't bow down to Nakamura anymore. Hibari is with her now. Hibari is here for her, isn't he?

Her finger traced the words for 'I'm sorry' again and again into the back of his hand. Hibari blinked as she slowly detached herself from his side and strode away from him, her head held high. He smirked, bloodlust allowed to soak through into his mood. He felt pride at his herbivore's actions. Of course, he had sensed how hard she was keeping her tears to herself. A herbivore refusing to succumb to herbivorous feelings, huh? His tonfas are readied immediately, faithfully held in a white knuckle grip. Following in his Kumiko's footsteps, he strode out after her.

Whoever injured his herbivore is going to pay.

* * *

><p><em>Hibari trailed forlornly along the empty corridors of Namimori Chuu. Upon seeing the light still on in the art room, he walked up to the windows and peered inside. Luckily for him, his younger self was too preoccupied with the brown haired herbivore in his arms.<em>

_Kumiko, he realized. They are finally together. They look so peacefully happy. Younger Hibari was sitting on top of a table, Kumiko wrapped securely in his arms. The girl had her face buried into his neck, her one good hand wrapped around him. He chuckled to himself dryly. He and his Kumiko used to sit like that. Jealousy slashed through his heart. What this Hibari has, he will never have again. And worse; he only has himself to blame. _

"Good evening, Hibari."

_He felt a light weight tap onto his shoulder, and he turned his head to look at it. Fon smiled back at him._

_"Don't feel so bad, Hibari. He is you, after all. Your Kumiko doesn't exist anymore, but his Kumiko does. In a sense, you're still happy."_

* * *

><p>AN: Another update! Thank you for all the wonderful feedback, for the faves and the alerts and the reviews! I hope everyone continues to like this story!

Sorry, the next update might be in a while. Hopefully no more than a week. I'm feeling a bit down and I still haven't recovered from my sickness so...(and schoolwork keeps piling up too -_-) Just know that the next chapter is already in construction. Finally, ALL WILL BE REVEALED! Time for Hibari to bite some herbivores to death... :)


	16. Monster

Disclaimer: I don't own Katekyo Hitman Reborn!  
>Rating: T; Molestation! No rape, don't worry. But probably some rather...uncomfortable scenes (O.o why am I so mean to Kumiko...) Nothing graphic though! Gah!<br>A/N: I feel quite guilty for not updating in so long LOLZ I'm so sorry guys! I wrote a super long chapter to make up for it. Well, it's super long in my eyes. I've never really written past 3000 words before per chapter so...Anyway, I think the Nakamura arc is coming to an end. Afterwards, I have another arc in mind, but I'm probably going to put some 'happy chapters' in between. After all the torture I put my poor Kumiko through, I think she deserves a break. Who agrees with me? Who wants some romance between Kumiko and Hibari? And maybe some...mischievous Mukuro moments inbetween...But first, on with the serious stuff.

* * *

><p>Monster<p>

* * *

><p><em>Hibari strolled leisurely through the corridors of the school. All was peaceful, and his mind and heart were both strangely light. After seeing the young couple, he felt accomplished. Kumiko and him were together again, just not directly. He could almost feel her tender touch on his arm as she accompanied him through his late night stroll. Almost...<em>

_"Kyoya! Look, the sakura trees are all bare!" She smiled at him with childish innocence unfitting for her 25 years of age, and he smirked back at her. Fon beamed as he saw Hibari smiling at nothing in particular. The man must be thinking of his beloved, even though they are no longer in the same universe. He found nothing wrong with that. Love ran deep in human veins, after all._

_Hibari raised his hand to pat her head again. It's become somewhat of a custom for him to pat her on the head once in a while, since she is quite short. At first she'd complained, saying that he was belittling her. Of course, all her complaints flew out the window with the gentle kiss that Hibari pressed to her lips. She'd clutched his shirt securely and kissed him back with all her might, showing quite a bit of fire in her despite her usually demure nature. Hibari had found that quite amusing. A little herbivore with hidden claws she was, it seems._

_Now he wandered the halls alone once more, drifting to his favorite haunts automatically. He passed through the door of the disciplinary committee office, stopping to admire the well drawn Hibird portrait. Chuckling at her name printed in the bottom right corner, he continued to wander over to younger Hibari's desk and flip through the different documents he was working on. He laughed openly as he found an old image of Kumiko sitting next to her report. In the picture, her hair was frazzled and she had a rare frown on her pale face. Apparently, she had a bad hair day on the day the school photos were supposed to be due._

_Throwing himself onto the chair casually and placing his feet on his desk, he marvelled at the new paint job of his old office. Of course, his younger self treasured Namimori above all else, and therefore will make sure that everything he has is to the best quality. Hibari sighed contentedly. This is the way life is supposed to go._

_She placed her hands on his shoulder and grinned at him. He lifted his head backwards to stare into her eyes, and then gestured to the photo of her, gauging her reaction carefully. Amusement and irritation flashed over her features in equal doses, making him laugh again._

_"You should laugh more, Kyoya." She giggled as he twisted around to glare at her._

_**I'm going insane, aren't I? She's not there. She'll never be.**_

_"Yaa~ Hibari, who are you talking to?" If Fon was slightly freaked out with Hibari's interactions with an invisible person, he didn't show it. The little Acrobaleno had an amused smile on his face, seemingly at ease with the raven haired man's actions._

_"Kumiko." He replied._

_"I see." Fon's answer was just as straightforward, and Hibari smirked back. Kumiko ran her fingers through his hair gently and leaned down to whisper in his ear._

_"I love you."_

_And then she disappeared._

* * *

><p>Kumiko only truly broke out of her trance as soon as she stepped foot in her own home. She felt safe at home, nobody can see her emotions or hear her crying. She swiped angrily at the gathering tears, unintentionally spilling some over. Huffing angrily, she used the sleeve of her school sweater and scrubbed at the offending liquid. Drawing the wet sleeve away as if it burned her, she dumped her schoolbag unceremoniously on the floor.<p>

She stood up and stretched, grimacing in soft satisfaction as she felt her back click into a more comfortable position. Sighing, she trotted to the kitchen and poured herself a cup of milk. Sipping on her cool drink, she shuffled back into the living room and fumbled for the light switch.

"Ah, Kumiko-chan! I never thought you would be home so late. What were you doing at school? _Making out with a certain prefect, hmm?_" Kumiko jumped and turned around. There was no mistaking that voice. That Komatsu...

Komatsu grinned at her from the shadows of her own empty living room. She stepped forward playfully, letting a bit of moonlight catch onto the shimmering silver of the knife in her hand. Kumiko backed away frantically upon seeing the dangerous weapon in her arch enemy's hands. Komatsu giggled sadistically. "Mou~ Kumiko, your scared face is so cute!" She took out her phone and snapped a photo. "I'm sending it to Nakamura! I bet he would love to have such an adorable picture of his toy."

Kumiko's eyes watered. Why her? Why did she have to suffer through this insecurity? Why did Komatsu know where she live? Why? Pasting a determined glare on her face, she defiantly squared off against the approaching killer. Komatsu laughed.

"Oh hell! I can see why that bastard Hibari Kyoya has fallen in love with you. You can take suffering, can't you? I bet he's just using you. He'll probably just play around with you a bit and then dump you."

Kumiko froze in surprise. Komatsu knew about her relationship with Hibari? But how? She didn't see anyone watching when they shared their first secret kiss. Upon rethinking her experiences with him, Kumiko couldn't help but blush a little. Hibari was so forward with her, it was kind of reassuring but scary at the same time. Well, he was never one to deny himself of what he wanted anyway.

"Stop daydreaming, bitch." She was snapped out of her stupor with Komatsu's harsh words. Her eyes once again darted to the knife that Komatsu was holding. Komatsu laughed and pointed it at her chest. "You looking at this?" Kumiko nodded dumbly.

"Holy crap, you're fucking hilarious. Don't answer my rhetorical question! Do you know what I'm going to do with this knife?" Komatsu grinned evilly as Kumiko shuffled desperately and blindly along the walls, reaching for the door handle. If only she could open the door, then maybe she could escape with her life intact. She felt cool metal touch her hands, and discreetly applied some pressure onto the doorknob.

"Uh uh, you're not going anywhere. Let go of that, or this is going to go through your head faster than you can scream." Kumiko collapsed onto the floor in defeat, her hands limp on either side of her. _There's really no use fighting, is there?_

"Step away from the door, Kumiko! You have another visitor!"

Kumiko obeyed without thinking, stumbling towards Komatsu hesitantly. To her relief, the other girl didn't lunge forward with the knife or anything sudden. That relief was soon shot down when the door opened to reveal her worse nightmare.

"Hi, Nakamura. I'm playing a warm up game with cute little Kumiko here. She looks like she's about to wet herself!" Komatsu giggled and reached forward to ruffle Kumiko's hair.

Kumiko flinched away from her touch, her hand lightly grazing against one of the chairs beside her small dining table. She grasped onto the wood tightly, tracing the wood grains as if it would calm her mind down. Her heart raced with panic. _What to do?_

Nakamura sneered at her cowering form, one hand swiping forward to grab for her hair. Kumiko ducked and breathed a sigh of relief when he missed. Nakamura scowled with frustration, but before he could get closer to her, Kumiko quickly ducked under the dining table and pushed all the chairs to block his path. Nakamura ducked down so that he came face to face with the trembling girl, seperated only by the few flimsy wooden chairs. Kumiko backed away once more, cowering in the corner farthest away from the evil man. Nakamura grinned.

"Hey, guess what? Your Hibari Kyoya just finished fighting against two powerful mobs. Do you want me to call him over?"

Kumiko's eyes widened in fear. Blackmail? That man really is low. He's going so far as to...

"Oh yea, and then I'll kill him right in front of your eyes. I heard everything that happened between the two of you, along with those disgustingly sweet smoochy sounds!" He giggled, and Kumiko felt anger coursing through her. How long is Nakamura going to continue taking control of her life? How much longer is she going to have to live in fear of her personal space or actions being seen by Nakamura? How much longer is Nakamura going to make her stay away from Hibari Kyoya? So soon after they got together as well... Kumiko's eyes narrowed as a spike of courage travelled through her body. Nakamura caught her determined expression and grinned in sadistic glee. Finally, the girl is coming out of her protective shell, isn't she? Then he could finally have some fun with her!

Slowly, he snapped his fingers at Komatsu, ordering the dark haired girl to carry over the discarded school bag on the floor. Nakamura stuck his hand inside the back, rummaging around a bit before finding her phone. He pulled it out with a triumphant laugh, waving it in front of Kumiko. As much as she would like to make a grab for the phone and make sure that he wasn't going to contact Hibari in anyway, Komatsu's knife made her extremely wary of any sudden movements. Just because she felt brave didn't mean that she had to act stupid, Kumiko reasoned with herself. Still, her guilt escalated when Nakamura flipped open the light blue phone and dialed a number.

Komatsu giggled. "Oh, we know his number because we beat it out of his right hand man. Poor Kusakabe Tetsuya is still in hospital. Isn't that mean?" Kumiko glared back at the laughing assassin, her guilt still rising. They had gotten another person involved, and even though it wasn't her fault, she still felt responsible for not ending this whole nightmare sooner.

Kumiko looked on as Komatsu twirled the knife casually. Moonlight streamed through the windows behind her, catching on the silver and making the blade glimmer evilly. She grimaced and contemplated suicide. Maybe this whole ordeal would end if she just ran towards that foul girl and let her run the knife through her heart. Maybe death would be blissful compared to what she was going through now. Her courage ebbed away the more she followed that train of thought. She wanted to kill herself. How sad. How stupid. How pitiful. _How pathetic. _

With a start, she snapped herself out of her nervous breakdown, just in time for Nakamura's hand to grab her hair.

* * *

><p>Hibari's tonfas blurred as he whipped them around in an arc, successfully knocking back 5 or so gang members. The rest of the members readied their knives and lunged forward at the solitary figure. Hibari snarled with happiness and swung his weapons forward, revelling in the crunch of broken bones and 'thud' as the more recently defeated enemies joined the scattered bodies lying around. Looking around, he realized that he only had a few more opponents to go before his fun ended. Disappointment floated fleetingly through his heart but he quickly quenched it and pushed it into the corner of his mind. At least he got to fight today.<p>

Unceremoniously finishing off his last few opponents, Hibari got ready to dust of his jacket and walk away from the bloody mess left in the aftermath of his fight. Suddenly, his phone rang.

"_Midori tanabiku, Namimori no~" _

The first few lines of the school anthem was enough to calm the raging beast in him. He stepped out of the bloodied arena and walked away from the scene, his hands miraculously clean save for a few drops of blood that was quickly wiped off on a nearby unconscious gang member's shirt. Hibari scowled. If it was Kusakabe calling him at such an ungodly hour, then his right hand man better bring a bunch of bandages to school tomorrow in preparation for his beating. When he checked the caller ID on the front screen of his black mobile, he realized that he didn't recognize this number. Hibari only had one number in his contacts, and that was Kusakabe. In fact, other than the phone company he was contracted with, Kusakabe was the only person that actually knew his number. Besides, the phone company knew better than to bother him with useless advertisements. Hibari contemplated picking the phone up or not. On one hand, the worse it could get was him listening to a bunch of random advertisements. On the other, _it might be Kumiko. She could've asked for his phone number from Kusakabe. _With a small twitch of his lips, Hibari decided to answer the phone.

"Hn?"

A burst of static came through and then he heard the voice of a man, one that he'd never heard before. His fists instantly clenched in irritation, and he almost shut off the call immediately. However, the man spoke before he could do such a thing. "Hibari Kyoya, is it?" There was some shuffling sounds in the background as well as very faint sobbing. Hibari's eyes narrowed instantly.

"Well, I guess it's an honor that you actually picked up your phone. Lucky, too. Your right hand man told me that you don't pick up the phone for anyone."

Hibari growled, remaining silent. Whatever this man wanted was not good. He could tell by the suave but bossy tone the man was speaking with. The man continued. "Well, do you want to know why it's a lucky thing you picked up the phone or not?" Hibari 'hn'ed and the man took it as a cue to continue speaking. "Well, for one, you might want to listen to what I have to say. On a totally different note..." Cries and struggling sounds were heard in the background, and Hibari's eyes widened in surprise. It sounded like...

"I have your precious Kumiko here. It's in my understanding that the two of you have just recently developed romantic feelings, right? How sweet." Hibari clenched the phone at Nakamura's words, forcing himself to still his feet. The plastic of the black mobile creaked, straining under the pressure Hibari was putting on the small model. Nakamura laughed, hearing Hibari's breaths come out sharper and more defined.

"Your little Kumiko is going to suffer if you don't listen to what I say. Do you want to hear me or not?"

Hibari snarled incoherently, and Nakamura tutted. "Oi, oi. Don't be so rude, or she might get hurt~" A loud cry came from the background, and Komatsu's laughter could be heard, along with some horrible choking noises. Finally, the choking diminished into soft coughs and sobbing.

"What. Do. You. Want." Hibari ground out the words through clenched teeth. Nakamura sighed, elated at getting Hibari to co-operate with him. Hibari's heart pumped with anger and excitement. Finally, he would be able to bite the man who was hurting his herbivore to death. Finally, he would be able to pin the man below him and carve into his skin with the spikes on his tonfas, marring him just as he had done to his Kumiko.

"Well," Nakamura continued, "I want control over Namimori. Just make me the leader and promise not to bother me and my gang. Don't even think about going back on your words if you agree to the terms here."

"Why, you ask? Because I have a lot of young men working under me who will be all too glad to 'play' with your little Kumiko for a while. Oh, and I planted a bomb under your beloved Namimori Middle...Ah! Let's make this a bit more interesting. I'll let you keep one. Who do you choose, your Kumiko or your beloved school?"

* * *

><p>Kumiko's eyes widened in fear as around 5 more trooped into her apartment. Nakamura waved at them happily, gesturing to the brown-haired girl under the table. "I'm negotiating with him right now, so if he doesn't agree, she's all yours. Be patient." The men nodded and scrutinized Kumiko with leering gazes. Feeling their lascivious eyes on her, Kumiko shrank further into a ball, her terror mounting as she heard Nakamura spell out the conditions for the deal. When she heard that Hibari would have to choose between Namimori or her, she let out a small whimper of terror. It was this situation again, this situation of helplessness and fear.<p>

"Hear that, Hibari? Your little girlfriend is crying out in terror. Don't you want to come save her? I'll give you 5 seconds to make your decision." A growl came from the other end of the line, and Nakamura sighed. "Still not co-operating with me, huh? Is this game too difficult for you to play? Fine." Nakamura turned to the men.

"She's all yours!" He giggled as the men immediately lunged for the small figure under the table. Kumiko let out a frightened yelp as their large hands clamped around her ankles, drawing her out into the open. She held onto the table leg with all her might, but Komatsu sliced at her arm and made her loosen her grip. Her breaths started coming out in ragged gasps, and she flailed her limbs in attempt to get out of the men's grips.

"Fuck. Dude, hold her down."

She felt one hand crawl up her shirt and finger the edge of her bra. Fear overwhelmed her being and she couldn't do anything but scream and sob. She hated her life. She should've just chosen to die when Komatsu held that knife. She wanted to be able to speak, to yell "STOP" at the harrassers clamping onto her arms, but of course, she couldn't.

She felt her bra coming undone, and then the unfamiliar feeling of a hand groping her breast shocked her into muffle sobs.

Nakamura kept on speaking into the phone. "You hear that, Hibari? I take it since you've just become a couple, the two of you haven't gone far yet. What a shame, since she's about to lose her virginity to a bunch of nameless thugs." One of the men grunted, taking offense at Nakamura's words. Nakamura glared at him, and he immediately went back to pinning Kumiko's arms to the floor.

* * *

><p>"Stop." Hibari croaked. He couldn't take this. He couldn't bear to hear his herbivore getting raped while he couldn't do anything about it. He couldn't just stand by and be a witness to this horrid event. He could still hear her panicked gasps as Nakamura laughed and ordered the men to stop. Their disappointed grumbles sent anger coursing through Hibari's veins. <em>How dare they touch what isn't theirs.<em>

"Eager, aren't you guys? No matter. Let's see what the prefect chooses." Hibari shook his head, his feet already carrying him towards Kumiko's apartment. Unknowingly, Hibari had memorized everything in her file after the Ten Years Later Hibari incident, having been intrigued with the girl's current conditions and part of her past. Now, he felt glad that he had bothered to do so. Kumiko's apartment building came into view, and he ran into the building without hesitation, glancing at the pile of bodies in the lobby. They must be of the other occupants of the apartment.

He stopped suddenly. He realized that in his hurry to get to her apartment, he couldn't remember which floor she lived on. Even though the apartment building was small in terms of height, he still had 7 floors to search and over 5 flats to look for on each floor.

"No answer, Hibari Kyoya? Well, continue then." The muffled sounds carried on, filling Hibari's heart with dread. There was a sound of a zipper being undone and clothes crumpling and ripping. Hibari immediately moved into action, sprinting up the first flight of stairs. If only...he could remember...

Suddenly, terrible screams came from the floor above. Hibari immediately turned away from the door he was about to kick down, running towards the sound. It didn't sound like Kumiko at all, in fact, it now sounded like the thugs were taking a beating. Finally coming to the right room, he kicked down the door.

"Oya, Skylark, you're a little late, aren't you?"

* * *

><p>Relief battled the anger in his heart as Hibari saw Mukuro holding onto his Kumiko. Kumiko was openly sobbing into the pineapple haired illusionist's chest, Mukuro's jacket slung casually across her shoulders. When Hibari saw that the front of her shirt was torn and her skirt was unzipped, fear won over.<p>

Striding across to her, Hibari pulled her into his own arms, letting her bury her face into his chest. He patted her hair in what he hoped was a soothing manner, trying not to let Mukuro's blinks of curiousity get to him. It's the first time that the two of them were able to meet without immediately openly declaring war. Hibari took off his own jacket and wrapped it around Kumiko's body more firmly, tucking her against his chest. The poor girl gasped and sobbed onto his previously white shirt, but Hibari couldn't bring himself to care.

"Kufufu~ At least say thank you. I saved her from being raped, you know."

Hibari glared at him, before nodding in acknowledgement. Mukuro hummed, seemingly content with that one small gesture of gratitude. Mukuro stood up and stretched, staring at the lifeless bodies of the men surrounding them. Nakamura stood in the middle of the room with Komatsu beside him, smirking confidently.

"And Rokudo Mukuro joins the party! I thought you were incapable of making friends, Mukuro. It seems that I was wrong."

Mukuro glared. "Oya? How do you know my name?"

"You don't remember me?" Nakamura's eyes flashed with fury. "You DON'T FUCKING REMEMBER ME?" Hibari felt Kumiko jump in his arms and he too let out a warning growl at the monster standing across from Mukuro. Nakamura paid him no heed, going back to having a staredown with Mukuro.

"Does this jog your memory, by any chance?" Suddenly, Nakamura's eyes were glowing red. His teeth elongated into fangs and his nails sharpened into claws. He let out a gutteral roar of rage and lunged at Mukuro.

Mukuro readied his trident. Of course, now he remembered.

* * *

><p>~9 years ago~<p>

_"Scalpel. Hand it over."_

_"Right, doctor."_

_"Give me the checks on his breathing. Monitor his heartbeat. Someone grab the scissors. This is going to be messy."_

_He screamed and thrashed around, but the men donning white lab coats were simply too strong. Mukuro's mouth was forced open, and a thick plastic tube was forced down his throat. He gagged, and the scientist holding his head slapped him harshly._

_"Keep your head still, bastard!"_

_Mukuro whimpered. His seven year old self just simply cannot take any more abuse. They'd kill him 6 times already. He's already been to hell 6 times. How much more does he have to suffer? HOW MUCH MORE PAIN DOES HE HAVE TO ENDURE?_  
><em><br>With an outraged cry, Mukuro lashed out, his foot hitting one of the scientists. A hand dove into his stomach, and he retched once more. Tightening his hands into claws, he snarled and scratched furiously against the restraining hand that held his torso to the operating board. Said scientist gave a yelp of pain when Mukuro hooked his small fingers around the man's thumbs and twisted it savagely. The thumb dislocated with a small pop, and the man was sent whimpering to a corner._

_"SEDATIVES! HOOK HIM UP WITH THE IV! GET THE BREATHING MASK! WE WANT DRUGS IN HIM, NOW!"_

_Screaming and panic started taking over the operating room. Mukuro thrashed wildly, knocking over precious equipment. He sent a tray full of scalpels and scissors spinning to the floor. His heart rate monitor showed heartbeats fluctuating wildly, screeching in uneven beeps. Mukuro used his one miraculously free hand to wrench out the tube, leaping up and using it to choke another scientist. Said scientist kneeled over, face turning blue._

_"Mukuro-sama!" He could hear his 'friends' screaming for him from the other room. The sound of metal rattling filled his ears._

_"Go to hell," he whispered, as the white coats desperately tried to corner him._

_"GO TO HELL!" He unleashed his anger, his fury, his hatred, his terror, his anxiety, loathing. The white coats all dropped to the ground, clutching their heads and screaming in horror._

_He put them through the same horrible experience he'd been feeling for the past 7 years. He killed them over and over, driving medical instruments into their stomachs, bringing them back to life, draining the pupil out of their eyes, filling it with hell's very essence._

_They screamed, they begged, they cried. Mukuro spared none of them, standing in an eerily proud manner amongst the now spasming bodies. Their howls became collective, melted into one. Mukuro grinned savagely._

_One by one, they succumbed to the child's nightmares. They died, blood pooling from mouths still twisted in screams of horror. A metallic tang filled the air. Mukuro kicked the fallen tomentors out of his way, pulling the door open slowly._

_"Ken, Chikusa." He could see his friends, covered in head to toe with bandages. The room stank of human waste, tears, blood and terror. He wrinkled his nose in distaste, quickly materializing a trident to smash the locks from their cages. Suddenly, red light filled the room._

_Klaxon blaring, the three were chased out of the room. They could hear restraining reinforcements stomping up the steps, the rickety building shaking from the force of their entrance. Ken whimpered in fear, but Chikusa tugged him hurriedly after the retreating back of Mukuro. The heterochromatic-eyed child was walking forward with a single-minded purpose, his brain still washed with the euphoria of killing the very torturers that had hurt him over the years._

_"There they are!"_

_They turned left, quickly pushing open a heavy metal door. The door swung open easily, much to the three children's surprise. Sheer determination and the will to live kept them strong, Mukuro mused. Stepping into the cold room, Mukuro quickly slammed the door in the face of the soldiers, making sure to pull the lock securely across the metal. With a screech, they were locked inside._

_"M-mukuro..sama?" Ken was panting, his head bloodied from whatever horrific experiment they had just recently put him through. A large part of his hair had been ripped out, much to Mukuro's horror. Chikusa was not much better off. The skin on the left half of his cheek had been scraped off, and a barcode like image had been engraved into his raw flesh. It looked painful, and Chikusa would probably have to bear with the pain and the scar for the rest of his life._

_"Mukuro-sama, there's a window." Chikusa pointed monotoneously to the window on the other side of the room. Mukuro chuckled and approached the window, blinking at the silver glow of the full moon hanging outside._

_The room shook as the soldiers shot at the lock. The noise was deafening, as if someone had covered their heads in metal buckets and started beating against it. Ken winced, having the most sensitive ears out of the three. Mukuro hurried over to the window, lifting his materialized trident to smash it open._

_"P-please..." A small whimper was heard from his right. Mukuro walked over curiously, abandoning the window, much to his friends' chagrin. He stared deep into the cage, jerking in shock when a pair of dark red eyes stared back at him pleadingly._

_"Let me escape with you! I can be of help!" The boy gasped. He looked older than Mukuro by around 5 years, a kid barely in his teens. Mukuro lifted his trident and whacked at the locked metal door a few times._

_"MUKURO-SAMA!" The door flew open with a bang, revealing a whole group of heavily armed men. They spilled into the room, causing Chikusa and Ken to go sprinting towards the window. Ken smashed the window with his bare hands in desperation, leaping out into the dark night. Chikusa followed him closely, looking back to cry for Mukuro to follow._

_Mukuro backed away, towards the window. The figure in the cage snarled and bucked, letting out guttural roars in anger. His hands clawed at the restraining bars, making the soldiers turn their heads in fear. Mukuro blinked in shock. What was he? He turned and ran for the window._

_"DON'T LEAVE ME HERE!" The boy lifted his head towards the moon and roared. Mukuro jumped, but not before craning his head back for one last apologetic look. The boy had grown __**fangs. **__They gleamed evilly, short but deadly. As he watched, two clawed hands shot out from behind bars and grabbed a soldier. The fangs disappeared in a frenzy of snapping and sucking, and the soldier was quickly drained of blood. The man's dry body was thrown casually at his comrades, and everyone cowered away from the cage, lifting their weapons and pointing it at the 'thing' that lived inside the darkness. Mukuro turned away. Better that there was a distraction for him. Better that the boy was sacrificed for their good._

_That boy is a __**monster.**_

_Leaving the chaos behind him, Mukuro trailed after his two companions, trying his hardest not to shiver when the monstrous roars echoed into the night._

* * *

><p>"Remember me now?"<p>

Mukuro found himself pinned under the man's feet, staring defiantly up into a pair of crimson, narrowed eyes. Eyes filled with hatred, pain and betrayal. Eyes that promised murder.

"I still haven't forgive you for that, you know?" Claws unsheathed, Nakamura dug his feet into Mukuro's stomach, revelling in the way the flesh slipped open easily. Mukuro cried out in agony, his trident spinning away as Nakamura tapped his foot against Mukuro's torn stomach casually.

"I'm way too strong for you, Rokudo Mukuro. I escaped, all by myself. I built a new life for myself. I found purpose in living. My purpose is to **kill.**"

With that, Nakamura reached down slowly and snapped Mukuro's neck.

* * *

><p>AN: As usual, please review! There's going to be less Kumiko abuse and more fluff from now on, I promise. The more reviews I get, the faster I'll update! (Motivation ^.^) Thank you to all those who took the time to review my last chapter:

**mirageseason132, hiyomi, xXBloodyIllusionXx, Sakura Shoujo and Clair Kingsleigh.**


	17. Nakamura's End

Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn! All of the characters belong to Amano Akira. I only own my OCs.  
>Rating: T<br>A/N: Once again, thanks to all those who've shown support for this fic! I sincerely appreciate it! It means a lot to me, because all of your comments have been great and it gives me confidence to keep on writing. On another note: I've managed to stuff some fluff into this chapter, incredibly. I hope you guys enjoy this finale of the Nakamura arc...Once again...READ AND REVIEW :) Reviews make me incredibly happy!

This chapter is quite long. I wrote it because MY REVIEW COUNT IS NEARING 50! You guys deserve longer chapters! (If only I could type faster...) THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT, SERIOUSLY! LOVE YOU ALL XD

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><p>Nakamura's End<p>

* * *

><p>Nakamura chuckled, holding Mukuro's limp body in his right hand. Hibari, sitting at the table with Kumiko still cradled in his arms carefully, widened his eyes upon seeing his greatest adversary defeated so easily. He glanced down at the trembling herbivore.<p>

"Stay here. I'll be right back." He whispered.

Kumiko felt his breathe tickle past her right ear. She felt safe. Once Hibari knew the secret, even if he didn't know the whole story right now, she knew that she had gained another ally. As for Mukuro...

She glanced at the unmoving body of the illusionist. Tears welled up in her eyes upon seeing that Mukuro did look far too injured to be saved. His limbs were spreadeagled at random angles, looking painfully twisted and fractured in impossibly small places. His mouth gaped, blood dripping from his tongue and the darkness beyond. His eyes were halfway closed, just enough for Kumiko to glimpse that pair of weird, heterochromatic eyes. The eyes were blank and void of all emotion, glazed over and eerie. Her heart pounded with fear. Another one of her classmates was dead. And it was all Nakamura's fault. Another death...another...

Suddenly, a hand was drawn over her eyes, turning her head gently away. "Don't look, herbivore. Go sit under the table. Close your eyes and cover your ears."

She nodded obediently at Hibari's orders, and Hibari turned to face the chuckling Nakamura as soon as he made sure that his herbivore was safely out of site of any violence that might ensue. He knew that she'd come into contact with death and violence before, especially that period with her classmate Amane. However, he also knew that he didn't want her to witness the darker side of him. He let his death intent curl around the room, increasing it with every second that passed. He imagined that he could hear the heartbeat of the small girl behind him, racing as she sensed his murderous intentions.

_Don't be scared, _he willed her. Part of him accepted that she might never want to see him again after this night. He was going to kill again. He knew it. He wasn't about to let any more of his property damaged right in front of his eyes, Kumiko included. So he had already made up his mind to fight Nakamura to the death.

Protect what's his. That's what carnivores do.

With a growl, he rushed forward, stepping over Mukuro's body in his path to hit Nakamura. Nakamura echoed the animalistic cry, coming forward to meet Hibari tonfa with claws. Metallic rings filled the air, accentuated by the metallic tang of blood wafting throughout the room. He heard Kumiko squeak in fear once more and made the mistake of glancing back to see if she's alright.

"Don't ever turn your back on your opponent, Demon of Namimori." Nakamura giggled insanely. He whipped his hand across Hibari's cheek, scoring three long and deep gashes into his pale skin. Hibari snarled and slammed his tonfa into the offending arm, grinning in satisfaction when the arm snapped under his blow. Nakamura backed away and glared at him, shifting the broken arm back into place. Hibari used the hem of his school shirt to wipe away the blood that trickled down to his mouth.

"Oh! I see...I see!" Nakamura let out an excited cry. "You're just like me!"

"I'm no monster." Hibari replied slowly, his eyes narrowed in anger.

Nakamura's eyes hardened and a look of intense hatred came over his features. "Neither. Am. I. DID YOU THINK I WANTED TO BE MADE THIS WAY, HUH?"

Hibari seemed unfazed by the monstorous roars coming from Nakamura's mouth. He calmly faced his opponent with his tonfas held steadily and at the ready. When Nakamura took a step forward, he mirrored the action.

"Brave, aren't you? Well, I suppose if you're a monster like me, then you wouldn't be scared of me." Nakamura's lips curled into a devilish smile. "Why don't we see who should be worthy of the title of the real 'Demon of Namimori'!"

He gestured to Mukuro's dead body. "I think I qualify, don't you think?"

Hibari snarled and rushed forward, tonfas clashing once more with Nakamura's beastly claws. He leapt back as Nakamura swiped for his legs, narrowly dodging the sharp blow. He stumbled into a chair and used his momentum to swing over the table, crouching behind it. He heard a squeak of surprise and looked around to see Kumiko right beside him. Her eyes were now open wide and her hands were pressed firmly over her ears. Her eyes pooled with unshed tears of fear and horror. Briefly, he tugged her forward and pressed a chaste kiss on her forehead. "Don't be scared, herbivore. Just stay here and don't move." She nodded once more. Not like she wanted to do anything anyway. She was useless. She couldn't help anyone at all. She had just sat there and watched Mukuro get killed for her sake.

_And now, am I going to stay here and do nothing while Nakamura kills Hibari?_

Hibari darted around the table, and the battle reached impossible speeds as the two combatants fought with single-minded goals. They were both going for the kill, and that's what scared Kumiko the most. Even though Hibari had told her to shut her eyes, she couldn't help but look as Hibari fought with Nakamura, narrowly escaping many of the blows and not bothering to dodge most as well. Kumiko watched with helplessly wide eyes as the wounds on Hibari's body increased with every second of his deadly dance with the grotesque Nakamura. Nakamura didn't look human anymore. His hair was tousled and wildly matted, his eyes bloodshot and glowing red. His hands were laced with veins and his muscles looked swollen, as if he forced himself to grow them in a span of a few minutes. His mouth was curled into a permanently bloodthirsty smirk, revealing a set of jagged, spiky teeth.

Hibari looked small in comparison, but his lithe body bode him well when he needed to dodge exceptionally close range strikes. Kumiko felt fear tugging at her heart whenever he got hit, but at the same time, watching him fight gave her an elated, light feeling. He looked like he was fighting on par with Nakamura with ease, his movements planned carefully to parry incoming blows and to deal deadly strikes of his own. He weaved in and out of Nakamura's blundering attempts to smash him into the ground, occasionally trying to go in for the kill by aiming his tonfas at Nakamura's throat.

Suddenly, a shadow darted past the two figures, coming up behind Hibari. Hibari didn't sense it, too intent on dealing large amounts of damage to Nakamura's abdomen. Nakamura snarled gritted his teeth at the pain of tonfa blows landing precisely again and again into his gut. Somehow, he was able to turn his grimace into a grin, directing the smirk at a cowering Kumiko. Kumiko froze.

_Komatsu's going to...Komatsu..._

_Am I going to just sit here and watch as Komatsu stabs Hibari in the back?_

Without knowing, she had already scrambled to her feet. Her hands grasped the back of a wooden chair in front of her, her knuckles turning white with the amount of pressure she's applying to her position. She edged forward, dragging the chair with her.

Silver flashed in the darkness of her living room as Komatsu darted forward. Kumiko could already see that with the current path the knife was taking, it was going to bury itself into Hibari's back, and most likely puncture one of his lungs. In other words, it's an instant death blow. Hibari was going to choke on his own blood and then die before the ambulance came, right in front of her eyes...

_I'm not going to let that happen! I promised myself...I wouldn't get anyone involved...but Hibari.._

She could still feel his lips on her forehead as he comforted her. She imagined his arms around her, wrapping her securely in his tight embrace. She felt his breath tickle past her ears. "_Don't be scared_." He had said.

And so she shoved her fear into the back of her mind and stumbled forward with a enraged, furious cry. She felt incredibly angry. It was disgustingly sly, the way Komatsu had been ordered to stab Hibari in the back. All the frustration at being bullied by the two people before her, all the terror and all the fear that she'd had to endure, almost being killed over and over, being tortured, almost being raped...all that raw power and negative energy was directed into her single minded purpose - to stop Komatsu from hurting Hibari Kyoya. The one person she loves.

Bringing the chair down on her target, she revelled in the elation that came with finally being able to strike her worst enemy. Wood shattered and splinters buried themselves into the dark haired girl's back. Blood sprayed outwards, splattering onto the jacket still wrapped around her ruined shirt. Kumiko vaguely heard a snap, but she paid the sound no heed. Komatsu fell forward, her legs twitching as the pain shot through her torso. "You...bitch...Kumiko!" She gasped out. The two males stilled and looked incredulously at the two females. Kumiko stood behind a fallen Komatsu with a snapped chair in her hand, her eyes wide and covered in small flecks of blood. She had just hit someone. She had just hurt someone. She had...

"AAHAHAH!" Nakamura roared with laughter, shocking Kumiko. The poor girl jumped slightly and flinched, making Nakamura laugh harder. Hibari growled and moved to place himself between Kumiko and the monster, his tonfas clutched in a defensive position. No matter what, he needed to protect Kumiko. His instinct and heart willed him to do so, and his instincts have never been wrong before. He glanced down with careful apathy at the fallen Komatsu. Komatsu lay on the floor, panting, her right arm bent at an unnatural angle. In her hand, she was still clutching a knife. Hibari raised his eyebrow at the insinuation that came with that position. If he guessed correctly, Komatsu had wanted to stab him from behind, which meant that Kumiko had just saved his...life...

Said female was shaking terribly behind him, the chair still clutched in her grasp. Her eyes were clenched shut and she was making faint whimpering sounds. Hibari's mouth formed a sadistic smirk as he assessed the damage that Kumiko dealt to the opposing side. He slowly patted her on the head, making her open her eyes hesitantly.

"Well done, herbivore."

She turned her head away at his comment, her heart twisting with guilt. She had just hurt someone, and he was complimenting her? She wrote it off as Hibari saying thank you in his own way. He wouldn't be that bloodthirsty, would he? Hibari turned back to the fight with renewed vigor. So his herbivore had hidden strength as well? He slowly turned back to Nakamura, only to find that the man wasn't looking at him. Hibari didn't believe in attacking his opponent while he wasn't paying attention to the fight, so he gripped his tonfas and tapped his foot impatiently, waiting for Nakamura to pay attention to his rightful opponent once more.

* * *

><p>Nakamura was busy sneering at the Komatsu sprawled out on the floor. "You're useless, Silent Slayer. I thought you would be able to do better than this." Komatsu's eyes widened. "N-no...you can't be thinking off...p-please..." Nakamura ignored her weak pleading. If one so supposedly strong as Komatsu could be taken out in one shot by a weak little girl like Kumiko, then she's useless. He had no further need of Silent Slayer.<p>

"You were useful to me once, Silent Slayer." He hissed, crouching down and slowly stroking the girl's face teasingly. Komatsu struggled to push herself upright with one hand. Her other arm dangled uselessly.

"Don't bother." Nakamura barked harshly back at her. "Your spine is dislocated." True enough, Kumiko must've used more strength than she realized. Komatsu could barely lift herself up on one hand, but she still crawled forward, her legs dragging behind her. Nakamura clutched her head in one hand and glared down at her. "You liar. You're weak." Komatsu's eyes welled with tears. "I'm not weak...Please...don't...dispose of me...I can still be of use!" Her expression turned desperate, anguished. Nakamura laughed and spat in her face. "Oh seriously. You're saying you're not weak after you've just been taken out by that pathetic little girl?"

Komatsu winced as Nakamura dragged her upright by the hair. "I don't need you anymore. You can go die."

"I..." Her whisper was lost as Nakamura coldly booted her to the side. She hit the wall and crumpled, her legs unable to support her any longer. Kumiko shrieked in fear and buried her face into Hibari's back as the wall was splattered with blood from Komatsu's now bleeding arm. A white piece of bone protruded from the wound grotesquely, glittering with dark crimson. Komatsu let out a wail of pain and then quieted to sobs when Nakamura paid her no heed.

"I...I don't want to be weak...I'm not...useless...Please..." A tear finally found it's way down her cheek and her eyes slid close slowly as she succumbed to the pain throbbing in her arm and lower back. With her current situation, death seemed like a blissful way to go.

* * *

><p>Kumiko peeked out from behind Hibari's back, watching silently as Komatsu's body crumpled uselessly like a puppet with it's strings cut. Hibari turned once more, gently pulling her face into his chest. He didn't want his Kumiko to view such disgustingly violent things. Her tears stained into his shirt slowly and her hands clutched his arms.<p>

_I killed her. I killed her. I'm a murderer. I'm no better than Komatsu herself..._

She could faintly hear Hibari murmuring in her ears, comfortingly close.

"Oi, Hibari Kyoya." Nakamura drawled, glowering at the couple in disgust. "It's two versus one now, and that's not fair. Either kill Kumiko or..." He licked his lips in a contemplating manner and Hibari clutched Kumiko to him tighter. No way he's going to hand Kumiko over to that perverse monster.

"Fine...fine..." Nakamura sighed heavily, tapping his abnormally long nails against the side of his face in a mockingly contemplating manner. "If you're not going to hand her over to me as a toy then..." Hibari narrowed his eyes further when Kumiko stiffened against him as she heard Nakamura's words. He bent down and murmured in her ear. "I won't. You're mine."

She blinked and hugged him tighter after hearing his words. Of course he wouldn't...

Nakamura held up a remote. Hibari arched his eyebrow. _So what?  
><em>  
>Kumiko let out a gasp as she caught sight of the little gray remote. She let out a cry and stumbled forward, her hands reaching for the device. Hibari pulled her back to him with a growl and quickly asked her to explain.<p>

"What, herbivore?"

"Kumiko didn't tell you yet? I'm surprised. I thought she would be smarter. Well, it's not like it matters anyway. Your loss. The odds are now stacked in my favor." He let out another coughing laugh and waved the remote at Kumiko happily. "This here is a device that connects to a bomb that's currently planted under Namimori Middle. In other words...if you don't obey me, then I'll blow up your beloved school!"

Hibari's head reeled. It was the ultimate choice, the choice between his herbivore or his beloved school. His Kumiko, who he wanted to protect, or his Namimori Middle, which he had been protecting since he'd gained the strength to make it up the ranks in Namimori Middle's disciplinary committee? The herbivore that had saved his life or the school that he spent years protecting?

Kumiko looked up at him in confusion and he refused to meet his eyes. If he was going to choose, then it should be...

"Kufufu~ Skylark, it seems like you're going to be owing me another one for this."

Nakamura whipped his head around wildly, only to see the 'dead' Mukuro slowly lifting himself to his feet.

"You really think you can defeat me that easily, Nakamura? I've brought stronger men to their knees in a mere matter of minutes." The moving corpse lifted his head, showing ripped and rotting flesh, one eye dangling out of it's socket and a crushed and sliced open throat. He turned his head towards a wide-eyed Hibari and a shaking Kumiko and winked slowly before turning back to face Nakamura. A trident materialized in his hand and he chortled as Nakamura stumbled back with a terrified expression.

Kumiko started screaming and Hibari quickly muffled her mouth. He turned her face so that the only thing she could see were his silvery blue eyes, smouldering with determination. His lips crushed hers briefly, successfully silencing the hysterical girl, before he pulled back to look at her once more. "Don't be scared." He ordered her, and she hiccuped and nodded. "That's not real. He's an illusionist."

And how Hibari hated illusionists. But this time, he felt a twinge of gratitude for Mukuro. If it weren't for Mukuro, Kumiko would've been hurt so much more. If it weren't for Mukuro...

_I would've probably had to hand her over to Nakamura. _

* * *

><p>Mukuro wiped the wounds away, peeling the disguise off and chuckling happily at Nakamura's stunned expression. "That's my true power, Nakamura. I will crush you."<p>

With that, the cocky illusionist sped forward and engaged in battle with Nakamura. Hibari growled.

"Leave my prey alone, Rokudo Mukuro."

Mukuro laughed once more, swatting at Nakamura nonchalantly before turning back to send Hibari a smirk. "Why don't you take care of poor Kumiko first, and then fight? She looks like she's about to faint."

Sure enough, Hibari glanced down at his herbivore and noted her unusually pale expression. Her eyes flickered back and forth between Nakamura and Mukuro fearfully, her hands were fisted into his shirt as if she was scared that he would leave her at any given notice. When she noticed the gashes on his cheeks, her eyes widened impossibly. She wrapped her arms around his neck. He realized that her cast had shattered during the conflict, leaving her fragile and half-set wrist out in the open. She buried her head in his shoulder and stayed like that, leaving Hibari to pat her back and mutter soothing words into her ears.

Sounds of battle rang out in front of the two.

"Kufufu~ Why don't you take her to a hospital, Skylark? She looks like she needs one. Besides, then you only need to focus on protecting your school, no?"

Hibari glared at Mukuro, earning a bout of chuckles from the illusionist. "Oya? Don't like my suggestions?"

"Shut up." He didn't take orders from anyone. But Mukuro was only offering advice, so he guessed that was okay. And it was for his herbivore anyway. Hibari got up, pulling Kumiko to her feet too. She clutched at him tighter and squealed in fear at his sudden movement. Hibari wondered where the previously strong and determined girl went. The girl that saved his life. His Kumiko saved his life.

And he was proud of her.

He sent an apathetic glance back at Mukuro, who was busy trying to stab Nakamura in the head. Nakamura's reflexes weren't failing him yet. He was dodging the stabs with apparent ease, but was unable to get any hits in on Mukuro. The room filled with eerie 'kufufu's and a thick mist, and Hibari finally decided it was time to leave.

* * *

><p>"Give her a room of her own."<p>

The head nurse bowed hurriedly. "H-hai, Hibari-san."

He scoffed at their fear of him. The only person that could truly stay around him without being scared is Koizumi Kumiko. Said brownhaired girl was currently blinking sleepily at the bustling activity in front of her. Her movements had become sluggish. Hibari glanced at the clock. It was 1:30 am, no wonder the herbivore is sleepy. She yawned, pressing one hand to her mouth and leaning into Hibari's arm. One of the nearby nurses gave Kumiko an incredulous look, but one glare from Hibari sent her scurrying away.

"She'll be staying in room 323. Follow me please."

The nurse started down the hall and Hibari tugged his herbivore to get her moving. She stumbled after him, barely able to keep her eyes open. He sighed, crouching down.

"I'll carry you." She stumbled and blinked, a blush slowly creeping across her cheeks. "_It's fine! It's only for a little bit more..._" She signed back sloppily, her left arm moving awkwardly. Hibari sighed and tugged her forward, making her collide with his back. He wrapped his arms around her legs and lifted her with ease, now piggybacking her without trouble at all. He raised an eyebrow at how light she felt but decided to question her about it later.

"Aww, you guys are so cute!" The nurse had turned around just in time to see the quiet display of affection. Hibari snarled at her and ordered to keep on going. She nodded and turned around, her previous fear of him vanishing immediately. She guessed she was lucky to be one of the only people who got to witness Hibari Kyoya's nice side.

Kumiko leaned her head on Hibari's shoulder, sighing drowsily. One of her hands came up to stroke his bandaged cheek slowly, making sure not to apply any pressure. It was nice of Hibari to carry her. She'd never thought that their relationship would grow so much in a mere day! Maybe this just shows how much Hibari actually cared for her.

They reached the room and Hibari made a beeline for the bed, sitting down and letting go of her. Kumiko tumbled onto the soft mattress happily, snuggling into a ball and nosing her way to the pillows. Hibari's eyes softened. She reminded him of a small animal after it found it's way home. She reminded him of Roll too, with the way she's curling up. It wasn't until he stood up to leave that he realized that his jacket was still securely wrapped around her small figure. It looked too big for her, her hands not even appearing out of the sleeves. She blinked wearily up at him and then smiled, before realizing that he was looking at his jacket. Her mouth formed a small 'o'.

"Keep it." He ordered upon seeing her get ready to unzip it and hand it back to him. She smiled gratefully back up at him. "_Sorry, my shirt is torn so..._"

Anger spiked through him. Her shirt is torn become some men had dared to try and rape her. She was his, and his alone. His protective streak willed him to go back to the battlefield and kill Nakamura and the four men that he had called to violate his herbivore.

Turning, he left the room, but not before glancing back to see his herbivore already curled up and asleep on the bed.

* * *

><p>Kumiko snuggled deeper into the warm blankets. The nurses had forced her awake once more, just so they could place another cast on her arm. She supposed it was better this way. She didn't want her arm to end up all wonky. She felt so sleepy, after all the exhaustive events that happened today. Yawning, she realized that her throat felt dry. She dragged herself out of bed reluctantly, blinking to adjust to the sudden darkness of her room. She stood up, walking forward, before accidentally tripping over something and tumbling forward. She brought up her right arm immediately to break her fall, but slumped against a wall. Sighing, she tried to get up.<p>

A hand grabbed her and tugged her upright. She felt herself being pulled into a man's embrace once more. _Hibari is back! _She immediately assumed. Of course, only Hibari knew where she is right now. She laughed and looked up.

The person staring back at her was Hibari alright, but at the same time, he looked...different. Older, maybe? Kumiko gazed at him, her grin fading. She took on a bemused expression when the older Hibari stared back at her coldly.

To her utter confusion, the 'older' Hibari's eyes softened immediately.

* * *

><p><em>Hibari put down the report once more, closing his eyes. There was nothing left at this school to look at. Unfortunately, he couldn't recall any of his memories from this period, since he didn't even belong in this timeline, so he wouldn't know where Kumiko is right now. Suffice to say, he probably lived a different life than this Hibari, and specific chunks of this Hibari's life would obviously be missing from his memory.<em>

_Judging by the time on the clock, which showed 7:30 pm, she should be at home. _

_He yawned and stood up. Better go make sure she's alright. It would be better than lazing around and doing nothing, at least._

_He moved gracefully up from his desk, striding to the doorway and pulling it open slowly. Upon gazing into the inky darkness that now marks the hallways, he sighed softly and started walking in the direction of the noises._

_"Kufufu~" The laughter of his most hated adversary drifted down the hallway. Hibari whirled around, turning to see Rokudo Mukuro of his time staring at him with wide, mocking eyes._

_"If you're looking for Koizumi Kumiko, she's in hospital."_

* * *

><p><em>Room 323, huh?<em>

_He quickly spotted the forlorn figure slumped against a wall. His Kumiko was trying in vain to pull herself upright. Seeing that one of her arms was wrapped in a new cast, and her other hand was feebly clawing at the wall, Hibari couldn't help but chuckle at the sight. Such a herbivore, through and through. Walking towards her, he bent down and pulled her upright carefully. Kumiko's eyes widened in surprise, her body toppling forward with the moment of his yank. She tumbled into his chest, and he caught her by steadying her against him with his arms wrapped around her._

_A pang of nostalgia hit him. How long has it been since he'd gotten to hold his beloved in his arms like this? Kumiko was now blinking bewilderingly at him, and he finally managed to crack a slight smile after all the weeks of grieving. She could see him. Finally._

_Mukuro just had to ruin the moment for the two of them, waltzing in the door with a chuckle. Kumiko's head snapped round to look at him, fear flashing through her eyes. Mukuro's laugher faded upon seeing the fear in her eyes, but the smirk never left his face. He didn't show how much it hurt for him to know that she was scared of him. But why?_

_Wanting this time to be private between him and the Kumiko of this time, Hibari tried to get rid of Mukuro. _

_"Rokudo Mukuro. Leave."_

_Naturally, Mukuro ignored him. He wandered closer instead, coming to pat Kumiko on the head. The girl flinched away initially. He dipped his head slowly in greeting and then leaned in to whisper something in her ear. Her inquisitive nature overcame her fear and Kumiko cocked her head curiously towards him, but Hibari growled and pulled her away from the pineapple bastard._

_He was never one to share anyway._

_Mukuro chuckled at the look of disappointment plastered across the girl's face. She stared hesitantly up at Hibari, and he looked down at her with a stony glare. She squeaked and quivered, and he finally let go of her with a sigh. The bad thing is, Kumiko didn't know who he is right now. He couldn't even speak to her properly without freaking her out somehow. She could finally see him, but now that she could, other barriers were put into place once more._

_Mukuro waltzed up to the girl playfully and ruffled her hair. She blinked at him before backpedalling away, staring up at her now mussed up locks. Mukuro chuckled._

_"Kufufu~ Koizumi Kumiko, do you believe in time travel?"_

_Hibari's eyes narrowed. That illusionist couldn't be thinking of giving his secret away, could he? He strode forward and tried to punch him, but Mukuro evaded the incoming blow neatly._

_"Oya, I'm just providing an explanation for your presence, Hibari Kyoya. No need to be so violent. If you would rather explain for yourself, or call yourself a ghost, perhaps, feel free to speak up now."_

_"I'll bite you to death."_

_Kumiko giggled at their exchange and both males turned to stare at her. She immediately clamped her lips shut once she had their undivided attention, and then shook her head in answer to Mukuro's previous question. Hibari swung his tonfa in Mukuro's direction once again, only to have the illusionist duck and send him a smug smirk. Hibari turned and walked away, leading the way back to her room. After a short pause, two pairs of feet pattered after him. He led them to room 323 unwillingly, and tried to shut the door in the hated pineapple illusionist's face, but Kumiko's expression stopped him from doing so. _

_The girl was peering at him shyly, evidently comparing his image with the one of her current 'boyfriend'. Hibari sent her a glare, and she skittered behind Mukuro nervously. He sighed. He honestly couldn't believe that his openly playful, loud and oftentimes dreamy Kumiko had been of the same personality as this girl. Something in this timeline probably caused her to become especially introverted. He pulled the door open, and Mukuro sauntered in happily, much to his distaste. Kumiko soon followed, sending him another inquisitive glance._

_Once the two herbivores were in the room, the previously larger space now seemed small. Hibari watched as Mukuro made a beeline for the bed, leaning into the softness of the blankets and pillows nonchalantly. Hibari resisted the urge to slam his tonfas into Mukuro's head. At least he wasn't touching his Kumiko._

_Kumiko wandered back into her hospital room meekly, occasionally just stopping and staring at her feet like she didn't know what to do. She stared at Mukuro as Mukuro openly patted his lap, inviting her to sit. She frowned as she saw that he'd occupied her whole bed. Before she could decide to wander over, Hibari had pulled over a chair from beside the bed for her and gestured gently for her to sit in it. Sending a dark look in Mukuro's direction, Hibari leant against the wall and sighed. _

_"So? Do you want me to continue the explanation or not?"_

_"No." Was the immediate reply from the dark haired disciplinarian. Kumiko froze in the middle of nodding and instead started shaking her head furiously. Even now, she knew that this Hibari would probably get mad if anyone dared to disobey his wishes. If the Hibari that she knew was anything to go by anyway. _

_Both males softened their gaze when they looked upon her. Her eyes kept on wandering towards Hibari, and she kept on sending fearful gazes towards Mukuro. Suddenly, Hibari tossed something at her. She brought her hands up to block the object quickly, letting out a whimper of shock. Hibari noted that her reflexes weren't that bad, but they could use some work. His Kumiko was the same, always quite clumsy and usually unable to catch anything that he'd thrown at her, resulting in dented tonfas and broken cups and plates. In this case, her reflexes weren't needed. The object bounced harmlessly off her arms and landed in her lap. She picked it up and studied it. It was a wrapped up mini chocolate bar._

_His Kumiko had loved chocolate, and Hibari had found joy in surprising her with boxes of the stuff from foreign countries when he returned from his missions. It had become a habit for him to spoil her slightly in this aspect, and he was often found with a chocolate bar in his pocket, ready to surprise her. His Kumiko rarely allowed herself to be spoilt, but Hibari had been adamant on giving her some at least once a week, even though it made her unbelievably hyper sometimes. She'd let herself be spoiled by him and him only, always thanking him with an excited kiss on the lips._

_Acting on a hunch, he had given this Kumiko the chocolate. She unwrapped the treat carefully, nibbling on an exposed corner. Once she'd determined that it was edible and delicious, she forgot all about the tense atmosphere and stuffed the whole piece into her mouth happily. Hibari and Mukuro chuckled at her actions, and she flushed with embarrassment. _

_The three fell into a comfortable silence. Ever since Kumiko's presence in their lives, Hibari and Mukuro had been able to see eye to eye more often than not, for some weird reason. As he stared at the blushing herbivore before him, he felt content for the first time in months._

_Another Kumiko was better than no Kumiko at all._

* * *

><p>"He's behind you."<p>

Hibari responded immediately, ducking around to swipe at Nakamura. Nakamura growled and backed away from the two strong fighters. Mukuro and Hibari had decided to call of their grudges for a temporary truth, both fighting to defeat the monster before them. Nakamura had wounded both of them in the battle, but he wasn't much better off himself. One of his eyes were closed and bleeding, having been grazed by Mukuro's trident. One of his arms was disabled, having been bashed in the shoulder by Hibari's tonfas. It was hanging uselessly off his torso, dislocated at the shoulder. The two hadn't given him time to pop it back into place.

The front of Hibari's shirt was stained in a mixture of his own blood and Nakamura's blood. He had three long gashes running down his chest, matching the set on his now bandaged face. His eyes were narrowed in determination and concentration. He needed to bring this monster of a man down quick, so that he could go visit his herbivore and make sure that she's alright. Even though he knew she was in capable hands, he couldn't let go of this feeling that other people were with her.

He would rather kill himself than let her go through what had happened with Nakamura again.

Mukuro himself was also fighting for his own gains. He wanted to kill Nakamura and rid himself of the past once and for all. Nakamura showing up had brought back bad memories, memories that should have stayed buried with the truth of his horrible past. He spent most of his time in the Vindiche trying to forget the horrible times that he'd been through at the mercy of the scientists, and now that he was free, Mukuro was determined to make the most of his life. He wanted to go back to his Kokuyo land and take care of Ken, Chikusa, M.M and Chrome, the most important companions in his life. Those people had stuck with him even though he was an escapee from prison, and now that he was truly free to do whatever he wanted, he wanted to make sure that he destroys the Mafia so that others would not be able to threaten the five of them again.

After seeing Koizumi Kumiko's surprising strength with the chair, he had never been so sure that he should work her into his gang somehow. She was an interesting girl, she didn't mind being alone and yet she was strong enough to fight for the people she cared her. She reminded him of herself, except for the fact that she was unbelievably weak for 90% of the time. He believed that his future self must have seen something within Kumiko, having come to tell him especially to incorporate her into his Kokuyo gang. Well, now things were going to become tricky, what with her being Hibari Kyoya's girlfriend and all.

_We'll see how things work out, shall we, Skylark? Kufufu~ _Mukuro was never one to back down from a challenge anyway.

Nakamura let out a furious roar, batting Mukuro into a wall. The illusionist grimaced and picked himself out of the Mukuro-shaped hole gingerly, readying his trident once more. Hibari had immediately filled his place and had started forcing Nakamura back once more. Nakamura growled, angered by the relentless wave of attacks by Hibari and Mukuro. Mukuro chuckled. In a way, though they were both trying to fight Nakamura for their own gains and though they had formed an alliance, the two could never get rid of their competitive nature.

In truth, they were both fighting to see who could kill Nakamura first.

Mukuro filled Nakamura's minds with thoughts of needles, experiments and men in white lab coats. Nakamura howled in agony and terror, backing away, his blows becoming disorientated and flailing. Mukuro winced, suppressing his own urge to turn and throw up at the images that he was bringing up. He hated his past. He hated his past so much.

Hibari darted past him to aim his tonfa at Nakamura's head. Nakamura swiped him away clumsily, finally stumbling to a stop in front of Mukuro. Mukuro amplified his own voice and projected it into Nakamura's mind. He was going to screw around with this monster's mind a bit more.

"Are you scared of me, Nakamura?"

Nakamura yowled in anger and aimed his fist at Mukuro. Mukuro disappeared and reappeared behind the blundering man. "I can show you your worst fears, Nakamura. Are you ready to face them?

Are you ready to face your past?"

"NOOO!" He screamed. He toppled forward as Mukuro transformed himself into a man donning a white coat and advanced towards his fallen figure. Nakamura's blood-red eyes widened and he let out screams for each step that Mukuro took. Mukuro pulled out a clipboard and scalpel out of thin air.

"Experiment 746." He drawled, pretending to scribble on the clipboard.

Nakamura screeched as Mukuro kneeled down to look him in the eyes.

"I need to dissect your brain. Say goodbye to the world~" Holding up the scalpel, he prepared to cut into Nakamura's mind. At the same time, Hibari darted forward and held up his tonfa, blocking the incoming blow.

"He's my prey. Back off." Hibari snarled out, angry beyond belief. He wanted to demolish this monster and then beat Mukuro off. His body was singing for bloodlust and battle and all he wanted was to bite people to death. Nakamura whimpered below his feet, and Hibari sent him a disgusted look. To think that the man's phobia was people in white lab coats. How pathetic.

Mukuro frowned. "Kufufu~ I got here first. I believe you owe me?"

"I'll pay you back some other way." Hibari countered quickly. He really needed to kill Nakamura. He really needed to avenge Kumiko's suffering.

"Both of you, stop squabbling." The two turned quickly to see the new intruder to their battle. Moonlight streamed through the windows, illuminating a tall figure with a gun and a fedora. Their eyes travelled down to see the small figure balancing on one of the fallen chairs, fedora tilted to cover his eyes.

"Ciaossu," Reborn greeted them, clicking the safety off and shooting Nakamura through the head.

* * *

><p>AN: Yep, that's the end of Nakamura. Hope that's satisfying!

Thanks to **Bree Renee, hiyomi, Klu891, mirageseason132, xXBloodyIllusionXx **for reviewing the previous chapter! Hugs and virtual cookies (um, whatever you like to those who don't like cookies LOL) to all those who take the time to review! Thank you ever so much, guys!


	18. Valentines Day Part I

Disclaimer: I don't own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. I don't own the characters inside this particular manga either. I only own my OCs :)  
>Rating: T<br>A/N: This is supposed to be a valentines special, but I couldn't post it up because I have this really big project due a few days from now and yea...(OTL) I'm so so sorry! I'll make a double and post twice a week to make up for it! Anyway, we're finally up to the fluffy bits, aren't we?

Just to clarify: I should have specified that this is kind of like an AU. The future arc didn't happen yet, but Mukuro is already freed from Vindiche. Erm, sorry for any previous misunderstandings.

* * *

><p>Valentines Day<p>

* * *

><p>Reborn grinned at the two bedraggled young males in front of him. Mukuro looked slightly exhausted, both mentally and physically. He kept on bringing his hand up to rub at his arm, though it looked fine. It seems that being smashed into the wall did take it's toll on him after all. Hibari was still standing proudly, blood seeping into his previously white school uniform. Despite the gashes deep in his flesh, he stood tall. Part of him was still fuming that he didn't get to finish Nakamura off with the final blow, but he supposed it was the baby who finished him off and that was okay. Besides, he really wanted to go see how his herbivore was doing in hospital...<p>

"Hibari, you should go to the hospital." Reborn smirked as Hibari's eyes widened a tiny fraction. Mukuro chuckled.

"You too, Rokudo Mukuro. Don't try to hide that broken arm from me." Mukuro grimaced. He had covered himself with thick illusions so as to appear to have made it out of the fight without a scratch on him. Apparently, Reborn saw through everything. He scowled and dropped the illusion, letting his useless arm dangle embarrassingly. Hibari snorted, and Mukuro immediately turned on him.

"What?" He hissed.

Reborn fired a blank into the air before the two of them could start squabbling like small children fighting over a toy. Sighing, he ordered them to get themselves to the hospital and left immediately.

"Kufufu~," Mukuro glanced edgily at Hibari. "Still sore about not killing Nakamura, Skylark?"

"Hmph." Hibari grunted, before turning and striding out the door. Mukuro stared at the empty space that once occupied his opponent, and then sighed and disappeared into thin air.

* * *

><p>Hibari strolled into Namimori Hospital, completely ignoring the gasps of the staff working late hours into the night. Many of the doctors and nurses paled upon seeing the bloody wounds that the vicious prefect sported, yet they were too scared to approach him. One nurse bravely walked forward.<p>

"H-Hibari-san, would you please allow us to bandage those wounds?" She stuttered, painfully aware of the fear in her voice. Hibari turned to her and narrowed his eyes.

"No."

A doctor came over to help the bumbling nurse. "Please, Hibari-san, those wounds may be lethal. You have to let us at least stop the bloodflow."

He shook his head at the doctor, turning to continue on with this path. Finally, another nurse approached him. He vaguely recognized her as the woman that had showed Kumiko to her room before. She bowed and then glanced up with a small smile. "Follow me please, Hibari-san. I'll take care of everything."

"I know where her room..."

He was cut off when the nurse openly grabbed one of his jacket sleeves and pulled him to the side. He had half a mind to bite this troublesome herbivore to death. If it weren't for the fact that the nurse had taken care of his Kumiko, she would already be needing emergency treatment herself. However, seeing as he did owe her a favor and that she was only trying to help him, Hibari allowed himself to be led away.

She swung open a door to a small room. The smell of antiseptic and sterile paper hit him in the nose. Opening one of the cupboard doors, the nurse pulled out rolls of bandages and some alcohol swab pads, as well as needle and thread. She gestured for Hibari to take a seat on the chair and spread her equipment out on the table in front of her.

"I'm Nurse Kono," she started, her eyes focused on threading the needle. "You want to go see that girl as soon as possible, right?"

Hibari 'hmph'ed in answer and refused to reply. The nurse smiled softly to herself. "You do, don't you? Well, you don't want her to worry. I'm going to patch you up, and then you don't have to worry about her getting scared when she sees that you're covered in blood."

Hibari understood her logic, but he hated being ordered around. Just this once, he promised himself, as the nurse snapped on rubber gloves and got to work.

"These cuts will need stitches. Would you like me to apply numbing cream to the wounds first?"

"No need." Hibari gritted out, unbuttoning his ruined shirt with one hand. With his other, he dug out his phone. Dialing the only number in his contacts, he brought it to his ear.

"Kusakabe Tetsuya."

"Kyo-san." Kusakabe sounded incredibly tired and worn out, for some reason. Hibari narrowed his eyes at his right hand man's unenthusiastic answer.

"What's wrong with you?"

Nurse Kono answered for him. "Are you talking about our other recent patient? Kusakabe was admitted to this hospital just a few hours before you were. He was beaten quite badly. Come to think of it..." Nurse Kono raised her head thoughtfully. "He had similar wounds to yours, actually. He had score marks down his sides."

Kusakabe muttered something into Hibari's phone, and he grunted in reply. Shutting off the phone, he turned to the nurse.

"Hurry up."

* * *

><p>Hibari trotted along the hospital corridors, coming to stop at room 323. He'd commanded for another bed to be added to the room so that he could stay with Kumiko. Even though the rooms were meant to be for one gender only so as not to cause any ackward misunderstandings, they made exceptions for Hibari. Nobody wanted to defy the demon of Namimori, after all.<p>

Sliding the door open, it was only until he stepped foot into the room and saw that his herbivore is alright that he realized how tired he felt. He had lost a lot of blood in his fight against Nakamura, and having to walk to the hospital with gashes in his chest didn't help his situation a lot. He was thankful that the nurse had done a clean, quick job of bandaging his wounds. His shirt is now gone, seeing that it was too bloody and dirty to be worn again. Besides, he didn't want Kumiko to see such horrific sights. It was bad enough that she'd been traumatized by all the torture she's had to go through before he even found out about this event.

Said girl was sleeping peacefully on the bed. Hibari's sharp eyes caught no change in her previous position, and no big difference in the setting of the room, save for the chocolate wrapper sitting on her bedside table, and the table itself being a bit wonky. Her left arm was already put into another cast. He noticed that she'd changed out of her school uniform and into the robes for patients at this hospital. However, his jacket was still kept securely wrapped around her torso, her other hand clutched the black jacket around herself tighter unconsciously. Seeing the small girl curled up on the bed put a small smirk to Hibari's lips.

He got ready to get into his own bed, but stopped at the sight of Mukuro sitting gleefully on it. He growled and glared, but Mukuro didn't move.

"Kufufu~ They did give me a room of my own, but it's way too boring there. I thought I would visit little Kumiko while I'm at it. I didn't know you were going to sleep in here as well."

Hibari glared and stayed silent. Mukuro grinned. "I believe you owe me multiple times. So, you can't do anything about this, kufufu~" He slid under the bedsheets and closed his eyes, chuckling quietly at Hibari's expression.

Hibari sighed in exasperation and looked around the room for any alternatives to sleeping on the floor. There was no way he was going to sleep in the same bed as Mukuro. He'd sooner stab himself in the guts. The bedside table looked uncomfortable and too small. The window sill was too narrow and unbelievably cold. That left one option...

He supposed it was alright to share a bit of Kumiko's bed. She didn't take up too much space, what with her small stature. Huffing in frustration, he padded over and lifted the covers of her bed, sliding in beside the small girl. To his surprise, she immediately latched onto him. Her grip tightened, and Hibari grimaced. Who would've known that such a small girl hid such strength in her? He gently pushed her closer to the wall and got into the bed gingerly. Her grip on his torso didn't relax at all, so he wrapped his arms around her as well, hugging her close.

Closing his eyes, he drifted off.

* * *

><p><em>Suddenly, a shadow darted past the two figures, coming up behind Hibari. Hibari didn't sense it, too intent on dealing large amounts of damage to Nakamura's abdomen. Nakamura snarled and gritted his teeth at the pain of tonfa blows landing precisely again and again into his gut. Somehow, he was able to turn his grimace into a grin, directing the smirk at a cowering Kumiko. She froze.<em>

_Komatsu's going to...Komatsu..._

_Am I going to just sit here and watch as Komatsu stabs Hibar in the back? _

_Yes, apparently. Her hands gripped at the chair. Her sweaty palms scraped at the rough wood, and when she tried to bring it up, it slipped out of her grip and fell to the side. It was too late anyway. Komatsu had already reached Hibari. Kumiko watched as the knife drove into his back, the tip protruding out of his chest. Hibari's eyes widened, his tonfas clattered to the ground beside him. He slumped down. _

_"HIBARI-SAN!" She screamed, but no sound came out. __**Oh right. I'm mute. **_

_Hibari Kyoya closed his eyes, and toppled forward, that damned knife still stuck in his chest. Kumiko could only sob as Komatsu started laughing horribly. The laughter filled her ears, and even her screaming could not cover over the terrible sounds. She failed. She failed. She failed to save him..._

"Herbivore."

_She scrambled over to Hibari's dead body, uncaring of Komatsu's presence right next to her. She hugged him to herself tightly, feeling his warmth ebb away. His eyes were closed and his face was paler than usual. Blood seeped into her ruined skirt, smearing onto the surface of Hibari's beloved jacket. Pain twisted her heart. _

_Hibari died. She's pathetic. Pathetic. Hibari, Hibari, Hibari, Hibari..._

"Herbivore. Wake up."

"Kufufu~ She's having a really bad nightmare." Shuffles, and then a sigh. "You owe me for this, Skylark."

Something cold tapped her forehead and the dream melted away. She opened her eyes to find herself face to face with her very soaked through pillow. Her hands tried to clutch the pillow case tightly, but for some reason, the pillow case wasn't clutchable. It was stuck too tightly to the pillow. Come to think of it, she didn't remember her pillow being this solid. It was usually fluffier.

Her eyes travelled upwards and met a pair of steely gray orbs. Tilting her head, she contemplated this new development in her sight. Was this also part of the dream?

Hibari sighed. He was woken up by the sound of his herbivore sobbing openly into his bandages, and then she was trying to hug him harder, which hurt quite a bit considering his wounds. Now she was clawing at his chest. He was angry at his herbivore, having not gotten the ideal amount of sleep due to her sobbing. Just because he was in love with her didn't mean that his patience suddenly extended to impossible degrees. Besides, he now owed Mukuro another favor because of her, which is annoying. He hated owing anyone anything and Mukuro being the person he owed is just another cruel twist of fate.

"Kufufu~ You know, she was dreaming of you getting killed."

Kumiko snapped her head up at the intrusion of the new voice. A pair of heterochromatic eyes met her own brown ones, and she let out a startled 'eep!'. Mukuro chuckled at her shocked expression.

"Surprised I'm still alive, Koizumi Kumiko?"

Kumiko gaped at him, seeing that the only visible wound on his body was his casted right arm. She shuffled towards Hibari anxiously, but the head prefect didn't make any move to recognize her. Kumiko turned her seeking gaze on him, and she was met with a pair of cold eyes. He was angry at her.

She shivered. Her hand automatically reached out to pull Hibari's jacket around her, but then she realized that Hibari would want it back. She pulled it off herself and offered it to him timidly, wincing when he huffed and snatched it out of her hands before turning and stalking out of the room. She dipped her head when Hibari glared at her before he left.

"Oya, mean isn't he? It's Valentines Day too..."

Kumiko let out a whimper of agreement and snuggled deeper into the covers of her bed. Fat teardrops trailed down her already tear stained cheeks and Mukuro clucked his tongue in sympathy. "I'll try to talk some sense into him then. Meanwhile, you stay here and sleep, alright?" His eyes softened as he looked at the trembling girl. On impulse, his hand shot out and patted her on the head gently. Trailing after the head prefect, Mukuro felt a twinge of sympathy for her in his heart. He knew what it felt like to be lonely.

* * *

><p><em>Being shut in a bathroom with Rokudo Mukuro wasn't Hibari's ideal way of spending the night. After calming the girl down and staying with her yesterday, the two older men had decided to keep watch over her, at least until the Hibari of this time came back. They didn't expect Hibari to come back so late.<em>

_"Kufufu~ he's coming. We have to get out of sight." _

_"Hn." _

_Originally, Hibari had wanted to stuff Mukuro under Kumiko's bed, but he then realized that Mukuro would be closer to Kumiko than he was. Who knew what the pineapple illusionist might do to his herbivore? So he shoved Mukuro into the bathroom and stepped into the small bathroom himself, albeit reluctantly. _

_They turned the light off as they heard the younger Hibari enter the room. Younger Mukuro's chuckles floated into the room and Hibari growled. Two Mukuros to deal with always meant bad news for him. He strained his ears and caught their quiet exchange, shooting a death glare at the Mukuro beside him when he realized that Younger Mukuro was stealing Younger Hibari's bed. Mukuro chuckled quietly and grinned at him. Hibari sighed and turned away. It was going to be a long night. _

* * *

><p>Kumiko stared at her hands, still unbelieving that Hibari was so mad at her. Sadness weighted heavily in her heart, and tears splashed onto her palms. She had wanted to spend Valentines day with him. She'd never spent Valentines day with anyone before, and she hadn't had anyone to give chocolates to either. She remembered that she'd tried to give Yamamoto some chocolates one year, but seeing that he already had a mountain of chocolates in his arms, she felt quite put off. He wouldn't even remember that the small box was from her anyway.<p>

Suddenly, the doorknob to her bathroom rattled. She squeaked in fear and backed up against a wall. What if it was the ghost of Komatsu coming back to haunt her? She distinctly remembered being the person to hurt her before she died. Her hands clenched in fear. What if...

_"Kufufu~ They left you alone again? How heartless."_

_Older Mukuro stumbled out of the bathroom, hair frazzled and with a tired expression plastered on his face. Kumiko stared at him increduously. _

_"Oya? Why are you crying?" _

_As soon as Hibari heard Kumiko was crying, he came out of the bathroom with an intensely murderous aura. _

_"Rokudo Mukuro." Hibari hissed, slamming the poor illusionist into a wall. "Did you make her cry?"_

_Mukuro winced at the sudden blow. "Oya, don't blame me. I just came out and saw her crying. It's probably your own fault. Well, the younger you anyway." _

_"It's possible that it was the younger you as well." Hibari countered immediately. _

_Mukuro's expression turned thoughtful. "Why don't we ask Kumiko herself?"_

_"Hn." Hibari responded, which Mukuro took to be a 'yes'. Chortling, the illusionist turned to the small girl huddled on the bed. "So, Kumiko, are you going to tell us?" To both of their surprise, she shook her head vigorously. Mukuro's grin vanished, to be replaced with a frown. "Why not?"_

_"Kumiko," Hibari started, ready to reason with the girl. To his surprise, she stared at him. _

_It was weird hearing her name come out of Hibari's mouth like that. It seemed affectionate. Up until now, Hibari had never called her by her name. Well, not that she knew of anyway. Except when he wanted to scold her, he would call her by her full name. With the way 'older' Hibari was addressing her, it seemed so much more intimate. A pang of loneliness overcame her once more. She wanted to spend Valentines day with Hibari! It's not like she woke him up on purpose..._

_"It's definitely you. Otherwise, why would she be paying so much attention to you now?" Mukuro argued, getting back to the topic at hand. Hibari ignored him, striding towards Kumiko. _

_"Kumiko, tell me. I'll punish him accordingly."_

_Mukuro laughed at this. "Punish yourself?" _

_Hibari growled and held his hand towards Kumiko. Kumiko took the hand shyly and traced his name into his palm. Hibari narrowed his eyes. As he feared, his own pride and stubborn nature hurt Kumiko once more. Honestly, he wished his younger self would grow up and learn to take the feelings of the people around him into consideration. _

_"So, who is it?" Mukuro inquired, trident at the ready. Murderous intent filled the room, emitted by both of the men. Kumiko's eyes widened and she opened her mouth. No sound came out, so she flapped her hands hysterically. _

_"Speak to us, why don't you!" Mukuro laughed once more as he pointed his finger at Kumiko's throat. "Don't worry, I'll give you a voice." _

Her throat felt burning now. She coughed uncomfortably, reaching for the glass of water sitting on her table side. Gulping down the water, she hacked and wheezed. "Rokudo Mukuro. What did you do to her?" Hibari snarled angrily, tilting Kumiko's head up to take a look at her throat. He swears, if anything looks out of place on her face or her throat, he'll kill the illusionist bastard for sure.

_"H-h-h..." She whimpered, and Hibari's eyes widened. _

_"Kufufu~ I only gave her a voice. No need to be overly protective. You know I would never hurt her. Unlike someone..." If Kumiko wasn't here, Mukuro would now only be a small, bloody stain pounded into the floor. Hibari hated that the illusionist took it upon himself to blame Hibari himself for Kumiko's death all the time. It's not like he could've stopped it somehow. If he didn't go through with it, who knows what would've happened? They both would've suffered more. She would've suffered more. She told him herself. _

_"H-Hibari-san!" Kumiko finally squeaked out, before covering her mouth in disbelief. _

_"Oya? I'm quite disappointed. The first word you speak, and you call his name? Not even a thank you to the man that provided you with a voice?" _

_"T-th-thank y-you!" She answered immediately, stuttering. She wasn't used to speaking, so her words came out quite raspy and quiet. _

_Abruptly, she found herself wrapped up in a pair of warm arms. Her head rested on 'older' Hibari's purple shirt comfortably. Hibari inhaled, taking in her sweet scent. "Kumiko..." He started. _

_"You have no idea how much I miss you." _

* * *

><p>"Stop. Stop walking, Skylark. At least listen to why she was acting like that! Oya, stop being so stubborn." Hibari ignored Mukuro and continued up the steps to Namimori Middle's roof. Mukuro frowned and continued after the fuming teen. He promised Kumiko that he would talk some sense into the skylark.<p>

"Do you want to see her dream for yourself?" Mukuro called after Hibari. Hibari faltered and then stopped.

"I told you, she dreamed that you died."

"She thinks I'm weak?" Hibari questioned, fury barely contained in his voice. Mukuro sighed.

"Just let me show you, why don't you?" Hibari closed his eyes.

"Fine."

* * *

><p><em>"Royal flush," Mukuro announced, placing the cards down onto the table. Kumiko groaned and placed her cards down as well. "N-n-no fair..." she whispered.<em>

_Hibari tossed his cards down nonchalantly as well. Damn that illusionist. No matter how good his dealings looked, he was always beaten by Mukuro. Always. He had half a mind to leap up and just beat the illusionist up, but Kumiko was sitting beside him and glancing at him curiously, so he refrained from showing his excessively violent nature._

_"C-can we p-p-play...um...somet-th-thing else?" Kumiko asked shakily. Hibari nodded and pushed his cards over, glaring at the illusionist and daring him to refuse. To his disappointment, Mukuro smiled and pushed his cards over as well. _

_"What do you want to play?" Hibari questioned the girl. She blushed and tapped her chin thoughtfully. _

_"S-snap!"_

_Mukuro sighed. "That game is hard to cheat at." _

_"Oh, so you were cheating at poker." _

_"Kufufu. I never said I was cheating. I'm just stating that 'Snap' is hard to cheat at." _

_"You expect me to believe that?"_

_"H-how about...we play...C-cheat?"_

_Mukuro laughed and leaned forward to ruffle Kumiko's hair. The girl ducked her head, intent on shuffling the cards in her hand. Hibari growled as Mukuro's hand lingered on her for longer than necessary. _

_"Kufufu~ I'm a master at 'cheat'. Let's play." _

* * *

><p>Mukuro watched as Hibari's expression went from apathetic to incredulous to slightly green with disgust. He supposed watching yourself die wasn't a pleasant experience. Releasing Hibari from the illusion, he watched as Hibari wavered on his feet for a bit and then quickly shook his head to clear his mind of the disturbing images. He'd never be defeated, he vowed. He would never be killed in such a sly way.<p>

"I do believe you owe her an apology. It's her dream, so it must've been even more vivid for her. Besides, this just goes to show how much she cares for you, no?"

"Shut up." But even as he was saying his, Hibari was already headed back down the stairs.

* * *

><p><em>"I never would've thought you were so good at lying, Kumiko."<em>

_"U-um.." _

_"Who taught you?" _

_"N-nobody.."_

_The game had ended with Hibari winning three games, Kumiko winning two and Mukuro winning only two as well. Even though he tried to cover his gleeful facial expression whenever he lied, Hibari could always catch him for some annoying reason. Possibly because Hibari could see through his illusions now. Mukuro frowned. Time to up his skill level. Kumiko was quite good as well, if only Hibari hadn't beaten her to the punch in saying 'cheat' almost every time. _

_Hibari closed his eyes momentarily, hearing footsteps heading towards this room. "They're coming back." _

_"Kufufu~ Time for us to leave, huh? Well Kumiko, I'll leave you this pack of cards so you don't get bored." _

_Mukuro tossed the pack of cards onto the table. He turned to leave, then stopped. "I almost forgot." With a graceful flourish, a bouquet of roses appeared out of thin air. "Happy valentines day." Mukuro smirked at Hibari, thinking that Hibari had nothing to give the girl. _

_Hibari smirked back. Reaching into his jacket, he pulled out a storage box. Inserting his flaming ring into the box, much to Kumiko's surprise, he retrieved another box. "I'll teach you how to open the box yourself some other time, Kumiko. But for now..." He inserted his flaming ring into the other box as well. Kumiko squeaked in surprise and happiness when a small white kitten tumbled out of the box happily, blinking purple eyes up at Kumiko. _

_"Mrrow?" Little purple flames came out of the tips of it's ears and the tip of it's tail. Kumiko stroked the kitten's flaming ears cautiously, surprised at the warmth that spread through her body when she touched the purple flame. The kitten purred and rubbed it's body against the girl's hand. _

_"C-cute!" Kumiko gasped, scooping the kitten up and hugging the feline happily. "T-thank you!" She yelped at Hibari, before launching herself, kitten and all, into Hibari's arms. The man caught her effortlessly. _

_"Happy Valentines day," He whispered, and then placed her onto the bed gently. Handing her a D class ring, he quickly walked away. _

* * *

><p>Hibari reached room 323, bringing his free right hand up to slide the door open. He paused upon hearing soft giggling come from inside the room.<p>

_Did I leave her in there with someone else?" _

He slid the door open and stopped. There was his Kumiko, smiling and tickling a small kitten on the bed. As soon as she heard his approaching footsteps, she stilled her actions and blinked at him worriedly.

Hibari sighed and walked over. He blinked as the kitten in Kumiko's lap yawned widely and disappeared into purple flames. The flames darted back into the plain purple box on Kumiko's lap, leaving the lock to click shut behind it. If he wasn't mistaken, this was a box weapon. A cloud box weapon.

Kumiko let out a wail of horror once she realized that her kitten had 'burned up'. She turned to Hibari and tugged on his sleeve, opening her mouth. No sound came out, and Hibari stared questioningly at her. She looked down and let go of his sleeve, refusing to meet his eyes.

Now was as good a time as ever, Hibari reasoned. "Here." He tossed a box onto her lap, making her eyes widen in surprise. It was a very expensive box of chocolates. She looked up at him with a surprised expression and Hibari almost smiled. She looked so cute.

Bending down, he kissed her. Her hands automatically wrapped around his waist and he drew her closer. His tongue darted inside her mouth fleetingly, and then he broke off the kiss, much to Kumiko's disappointment.

"Happy Valentines day." He murmured, sitting back down on the bed with Kumiko in his arms. He felt exhausted, having not slept properly the night before. Hibari eyed the bouquet of roses and the cloud box and a curious purple ring on the bed warily, trying to figure out who had given her these presents. Sighing, he placed them all onto the table beside Kumiko's bed and then lay down with her still in his arms.

The last thing he felt was Kumiko's lips shyly kissing his cheek, and then he succumbed to his well deserved rest.

* * *

><p>Mukuro stayed outside room 323, watching as Hibari fell asleep with Kumiko beside him. A pang of jealousy ran through his veins quickly, before he shook his head, confused with such emotions. Why did he feel jealous again? He's merely using the girl for his own gains. He'll definitely destroy the Vongola this time, he vowed to himself.<p>

His heart thudded painfully when he watched Kumiko kiss Hibari's cheek.

* * *

><p>AN: Thanks to **xXBloodyIllusionXx, Clair Kingsleigh, Sakura Shoujo, kuroitsubasa24 and ChinaDang **for reviewing the previous chapter! You guys are going to kill me when the next chapter comes out. I'm serious. Just, make it painless, okay?

Please review, pretty please? Next chapter is Mukuro-centric, because Hibari's being way to possessive of Kumiko. So, look forward to Mukuro x OC fluffliness...


	19. Valentines Day Part II

Disclaimer: I don't own Katekyo Hitman Reborn!  
>Rating: T<p>

* * *

><p>Valentines Day Part 2<p>

* * *

><p>Kumiko blinked awake, realizing that she was still wrapped up securely in Hibari's arms. She glanced at the clock, seeing that it was already 5 pm. The sky outside seemed miserably dim, gray clouds spotting the skyline and mist trailing around the roads below. Kumiko stared as the window was suddenly splattered with droplets, all of them clear and rounded. It started pouring. She untangled herself from the prefect's arms gingerly, careful not to move him suddenly. Though asleep, Hibari still looked exhausted. Kumiko felt a pang of guilt flutter through her stomach. It must be her fault, for continuously waking him up last night.<p>

"Kufufu, finally awake?" Mukuro sat on the bed that was supposed to be Hibari's, smirking at her. Kumiko yawned and nodded sleepily in reply. "Oya, are you going to stay in hospital for the whole of Valentines Day?"

Her eyes flew to the clock on the wall once more. _Oh yea, I almost forgot. It's Valentines Day...and it's almost over!  
><em>  
>She glanced wistfully at the sleeping Hibari, but knew better than to go and jostle him awake. If she did, she probably would end up with a broken right arm as well, regardless of the fact that she was his girlfriend. Hibari Kyoya was quite unforgiving when it comes to getting sleep.<p>

"Kufufu...I wouldn't wake him up if I were you. How about I take you around town?"

She wasn't supposed to leave the hospital, that much she knew. But still, it was too tempting an offer to pass on. Anyway, Hibari could rest properly without her stomping around the place. He probably wouldn't mind that she go walk around with Mukuro for an hour, since Hibari probably didn't want to bother celebrating Valentines day..._I'll come back as soon as I can! _She promised herself. Her eyes wandered to the box of chocolates on the table. She giggled, imagining herself sharing that with Hibari.

"Oya, do you want to come or not?" Mukuro was already at the door, staring back at her. His eyes sheltered amusement at the small girl's actions. Kumiko nodded, sparing Hibari another glance before leaving with Mukuro behind her.

* * *

><p><em>Nobody's staring at us. <em>Kumiko shook her head in wonder as nurses and doctors alike simply turned her head away from the two of them casually strolling out of the hospital rooms. Kumiko trailed after Mukuro, looking forlorn and lost in her hospital gown. Mukuro chuckled and grabbed her wrist, pulling her closer. Kumiko shot him a look and pulled her hand out of his grasp, leaving Mukuro to walk on ahead without her behind him. She felt weird, having another male hold her hand. Before Hibari, she'd never interacted with any males at all, let alone hold hands with someone.

"Why don't we go get some new clothes for you first? You look really bedraggled."

She blushed slightly at his comment, tugging self-consciously at her gown. True, it looked really out of place on her, being loose and fluttery and very flimsy. She hoped that it wasn't see through, and was glad for Mukuro's suggestion. Walking around town in such clothing would definitely top her list of most embarrassing moments in her life.

Mukuro led her to any random clothing store, and watched as the small girl rifled through the clothing racks. She cast worried glances to the Mukuro leaning against the wall, and picked up her speed. Pulling any random shirt and shorts off the racks, she walked towards the cashier. It was only then that she realized she didn't have any money. All her money was back at the apartment.

A hand stretched out to pay for the clothes, and Kumiko turned her head back to see Mukuro casually giving the money for her. The cashier smiled at the two of them. "Oh, what a nice boyfriend you have there, little girl! My boyfriend hardly buys me any clothing..." The woman rambled on, leaving Kumiko gaping at her in disbelief. She wanted to tell her that Mukuro isn't her boyfriend, but her accursed muteness left her red in embarrassment and anger. Guilt laced through her heart once more. What would Hibari say about this?

She pushed Mukuro's money away and stomped out of the store, leaving Mukuro to pay for the garments himself. When the cashier lady sent him a questioning look, he chuckled. "She's not feeling that well. She just came out from the hospital, so she's having quite drastic mood swings." The cashier lady's eyes softened once more, and she took the money without question, placing it in her cashier and never seeing that it disappeared as soon as it left her hand.

Mukuro whistled as he swung the paper bag around and followed the fuming girl out of the store. She was quite amusing to toy with. He wondered how she could be used in his plan against the Vongola.

* * *

><p>How had Mukuro even talked her into this? They were sitting in a small cafe, a sundae placed in front of Kumiko. Mukuro laughed as her eyes trailed towards the treat, but she made no move to eat any of it.<p>

"Worried about betraying the skylark? Don't worry, I won't tell him we went on a date...kufufu~" In fact, Mukuro planned on rubbing it in his face. He couldn't resist the temptation of boasting that he had taken Hibari Kyoya's girlfriend out on a 'date' without him even knowing. Kumiko's face darkened at the word 'date', and she looked away from the ice cream. Mukuro laughed once more.

"It would be such a waste to see ice cream get wasted like this, don't you think?"

"_You eat it then." _Kumiko scribbled on a napkin.

"Oya, I'm not that fond of sweet stuff."

She shook her head and refused to even meet his eyes. Mukuro sighed. "You know, I don't even have that much money. Chrome and I live together along with two of my other friends. You could say I'm poor, kufufu...though that makes me sound incompetent, so I would rather you didn't describe me like that." Kumiko stared mournfully at the ice cream. Was it right to waste such a nicely offered gift from such a nice person?

"Fine, you could say that it's just friendship. It is Valentines day, after all, and we are nothing more than friends. Since the skylark already gave you chocolates, it's only fair that I give you ice cream, no? I'm just giving it to you out of friendship, if you will."

She nodded then, succumbing to the sight of the ice cream melting and Mukuro's pleading eyes. Mukuro sat back with a satisfied smirk as she picked up the spoon and started scooping out the icy treat. As soon as the sweet substance touched her tongue, she couldn't help but let out a sigh of pleasure. How long has it been since she treated herself to ice cream? Within minutes, she was down to her last few scoops.

Mukuro crossed his arms. A weird emotion was wrapping itself around his heart. He wanted to...kiss her? _Is it just to spite the skylark, I wonder? _Or maybe it's because she looked so tantalizing, what with the way her soft lips wrapped around the spoon smoothly with every bite she tried to suppress the urge to lean over and just capture those lips with his own. He watched as the last spoonful of ice cream disappeared into her mouth.

_I don't like sweet stuff, _he had claimed just a few seconds ago.

Seeing the cream on Kumiko's lips, he stopped her hand as she tried to grab a napkin to wipe it away. His expression became hungry, and his eyes flashed with something dangerous. "Don't move." He ordered the girl. Kumiko's eyes darted away from his face as she whimpered and tried to pull back, but Mukuro's got her securely grasped in his grip. She winced as his hand tightened and he leaned towards her.

_Oya, so I can't control my emotions as well yet. _Mukuro mused as his tongue flicked out to gently scrape away the cream on Kumiko's parted lips. _I guess I'll have to work on that. _

* * *

><p>Kumiko practically ran all the way back to the hospital. Her mind worked itself into a frenzy, twisting her heart into two. Mukuro had kissed her. Well, almost kissed her anyway. He licked her. Isn't that something only lovers should do? That's not something a friend would do to another friend, right? A part of her mind screamed at her, telling her that she'd betrayed Hibari-san so badly that he wasn't ever going to forgive her. Her heart thudded at that, fear pumping through her at the insinuations her own thinking was offering her. Hibari would hate her. Hate her, forever. She'd betrayed him...<p>

She tried to ignore the part of her brain that relayed disappointment. Mukuro's touch was so gentle, as if he was afraid to hurt her, quite different from the way Hibari roughly dominated her lips every time they kissed. Sure, Hibari had his gentle moments, but that only shone through when Kumiko was either hurt or extremely scared or had something wrong with her.

She wanted Mukuro's soft touch. She craved Hibari's dominating kisses. She thinks she's turning into a two-timer, a slut, a horrible person. She didn't know what to do anymore.

* * *

><p>Stumbling into the room, Kumiko glanced fearfully at Hibari. To her dread, Hibari was blinking sleepily back at her, taking in her mussed up, windswept hair and her shaking legs. He was awake instantly, seeing her exhausted figure.<p>

"What happened, herbivore? Where did you go?"

Kumiko gaped and gasped. Before she could look for a piece of paper to explain, Mukuro trailed in after her. "Kufufu...she went to the bathroom." Hibari glared at Mukuro.

"Why did you follow her, Rokudo Mukuro?"

"Because she's scared of going alone." The sly illusionist replied instantly. Hibari's eyes narrowed in on the paper bag in Mukuro's hand.

"Where did you get that?"

"Oya? This? I got it from Nurse Kono, who pitied that Kumiko didn't have a change of clothes and so she went out and bought something for the girl. I'm holding it because Kumiko was in the bathroom when Nurse Kono met us, and she told me to hand it to her."

Hibari's eyes stayed narrowed, but he didn't question it. He turned around sleepily, missing the sly grin that Mukuro shot a dumbfounded Kumiko. She just didn't know what to do now. Hibari watched out of the corner of his eye as she wandered over to his bed and curled up next to him. She smelt like ice cream, he realized.

"Herbivore..." He whispered into her ear. "Where were you really?"

"Ice cream..." She mouthed back, knowing that he would be able to read the movement of her lips on his skin. He shook his head and chuckled, his amused expression making her wince. She felt horrible when Hibari pulled her closer and roughly captured her lips with his own. "Next time," He breathed, "Take me with you."

She buried her face into his chest and fell asleep beside him. She felt like a traitor.

* * *

><p>Hibari watched as the nurse raised Kumiko's hand and injected the medicine into it. She saw him watching and opened her mouth to explain. "This is just some medicine for her cuts to heal faster, and hopefully not scar. There are too many to apply ointment to the body, so we thought we should do this internally. There is also some painkillers mixed into it, so she won't feel any pain. It'll probably give her mood swings or something, because she'll feel tired sometimes and really energetic and optimistic the next." Hibari nodded in acceptance of the explanation and watched as Kumiko clambered back into bed and pulled the covers over herself sleepily.<p>

It had taken Hibari approximately 6 words to persuade the nurses to bring another bed to room 323. He hadn't wanted Mukuro staying with them, but the annoying illusionist had refused to leave, claiming that it would be too boring. When Hibari had threatened the nurses to move Mukuro, Mukuro simply altered their perceptions so that they forgot Hibari's presence altogether. Hibari had leapt up and tried to beat Mukuro's head in with his tonfas, but Kumiko's frightened gaze had stopped him from doing anything rash. He lay down in the bed to the farthest right, glaring at the other male with slitted eyes. There's no way he would be sleeping in a bed net to the illusionist. Mukuro smirked back at him and lay down in his own bed as well, leaving Kumiko to sleep on the bed in the middle. Within seconds, Hibari turned around and fell asleep.

3 am in the morning, and Mukuro is still awake. His mind is continually haunted by images of of his past. Nakamura's dying screams echoes in his skull, reminding him of the howls of the tortured experiments during his time with the Estraneo family. Shuddering, he assured himself that he would never go back to that place again. Never. His only regret was not getting out of that place faster, and not killing off all the other experiments to end their suffering. He guessed that his punishment was the appearance of Nakamura and how Nakamura came back to haunt him.

Turning to the left side, he stared at the sleeping girl on his right. Her chest rose and fall steadily, her casted left arm thrown casually over her head. Her mouth was set into a small frown, indicating that she was having an unpleasant dream. Mukuro had half a mind to tap into her dreams once more to see what was making her suffer. If she was even suffering anyway. He could put an end to her suffering, like how he helped Chrome.

A devilish smirk came across his mind as he got out of his bed silently. He slunk over to Kumiko's bed, sliding in beside her. Her arms instantaneously wrapped themselves around his torso, and her mouth formed the words: "Hibari-san". Mukuro frowned at this. _Time to make myself more familiar to the girl, huh? _He thought to himself. For some reason, he didn't like the fact that Kumiko was so dependent on Hibari Kyoya. With the way things are developing between the two of them, he wouldn't have a chance to use her to destroy the Vongola. He had to get closer to her. With that thought in mind, he tapped two of his fingers on her forehead before diving headfirst into her dreams.

* * *

><p><em>"Herbivore," Hibari started. Kumiko stared up at him shakily. His eyes were narrowed into slits, and he looked impossibly, incredibly angry. Her eyes filled with tears. "I saw you with Mukuro. He kissed you, didn't he? And you let him, didn't he? And you want him now, don't you? You're nothing more than a who..."<em>

_"Don't say anymore!" She heard herself cry out. She tried to hug him, but he moved away from her. He glared at her coldly. _

_"Don't touch me, herbivore. Or...I'll bite you to death."_

_"No, Hibari, I don't...I don't..." She sobbed. She didn't want to be alone anymore. Why? Why didn't she refuse the offer of going out with Mukuro?_

_"Don't lie to me. You felt disappointed when he didn't take the kiss further, didn't you?" Hibari's voice was soft and dangerous, tonfas out and ready in his hand. Kumiko raised her hand and winced when Hibari brought it crashing down towards her head. She prepared herself for the pain that would blossom with the blow, but it never came. _

_"Move, herbivore."_

_It's impossible, but another Hibari was standing there, blocking the previous Hibari's blows. Kumiko gasped. "That's...how? There are two..Hibari-sans?"_

_Mukuro grimaced as his opponent took swiped at him strongly. He brought up one of his tonfas just in time to block, and winced at the awkwardness of his holding position. He wasn't used to holding tonfas, after all. It felt weird posing as Hibari, even though he had done this before during their fight against the funeral wreaths. Well, that time he had made an illusion of Hibari, not actually posed as him. _

_Why did he even chose to become Hibari? He wondered. Maybe it's because he felt guilty for forcing the girl into such a bad situation. He didn't want her to feel guilty because he hadn't been able to control his emotions and had almost kissed her. It had taken all of his willpower to pull away from her after tasting her lips that instance. He felt bad for cornering her into such a situation, so he was now going to fix it. _

_"I'll bite you to death." He countered, resisting the urge to cough in disgust as Hibari's voice came out of his own throat. It was unnerving to say the least, even more unnerving then when he had taken over Hibari's body through possession._

_Slowly but surely, he beat back the dream Hibari. It was quite easy, now that he thought of it, because Kumiko had only seen Hibari fight on certain occasions and didn't know his complex fight movements. Therefore, the dream Hibari had only been able to fight in a repetitive pattern, and Mukuro was able to defeat him quite quickly. Mukuro stood over Hibari's fallen body, and turned his head to look back at Kumiko. The girl was staring at the two of them with tears in her eyes. _

_"Don't fight..." She murmered over and over, as if chanting a mantra to calm herself. _

_Mukuro stepped back towards her lazily, taking her into his arms. Her head rested against his chest immediately, and the weird emotion wrapped itself around his heart once more. She fit so perfectly in his arms, and it just felt so right. He was supposed to protect her. A sense of nostalgia washed over him. Did he know her from somewhere? _

_**Now that I have her, might as well make the most of the situation, **__Mukuro reasoned. Besides, he really did want to see what it feels like kissing a girl. Tilting her head up gently, Mukuro lowered his face. She closed her eyes immediately, parting her lips slightly in preparation for the kiss that was sure to come. Mukuro froze, inches before touching his lips with hers. __**I don't know how Hibari Kyoya kisses her...**_

_So he decided that he should just go with his own style. His lips brushed hers ever so carefully, and he marveled at the smoothness of her lips. His heart thudded in his chest. He briefly felt Kumiko gasp at his gentle touch, and he pulled her closer. She tasted like the ice cream that he had treated her to. She tasted sweet, and she responded ever so lightly to his touches. Mukuro deepened the kiss, slipping his tongue inside her mouth and twining it around her own. Her hands crept up to brush through his hair..._

* * *

><p>Sunlight hit him in the face. He groaned slightly at the warmth streaming through the windows and painting the inside of his eyelids fiery red. He felt disappointed with the dream being over. Running it through his mind, he now found it interesting to know that Kumiko had felt disappointment when he'd pulled away from their contact during their 'date'. He wondered how he could use that to his advantage...Mukuro blinked and clutched his stomach as a sudden blow struck him. It was only now that he realized he felt bruised all over.<p>

Not all girls sleep daintily and unmovingly, it seems. Koizumi Kumiko is a nightmare. Throughout the night, she'd been moving around and changing her position every few seconds. The girl had just kneed him in the stomach without warning, leaving him gasping for air. If she knew how to use her leg power right, she could probably deal a heavy blow.

She flailed her arms, smacking it into Mukuro's face. His pineapple became lopsided because she accidentally got her fingers tangled into it. Mukuro vaguely saw Hibari sit up and survey the scene with a furious gaze. "Get away from her, Rokudo Mukuro." He hissed at him, but once he observed that his herbivore was pulling on Mukuro's hair while she's unconscious, his furious expression melted away to be replaced by an amused smirk. Mukuro swore he heard Hibari cough in an attempt to muffle his laughter from across the room. What a sadistic head prefect.

With a low growl of irritation, he untangled Kumiko's limbs from his body. Placing her down and tucking her firmly into the bed, trapping her under her blankets, he materialized some chains and held her down. Hibari snarled in warning, coming over to look over the chains and swiping at Mukuro with his tonfas. Who said he could touch his herbivore? He didn't want anything hurting his Kumiko, least of all Rokudo Mukuro's stupid illusionary tricks.

Mukuro sat up, rubbing his forehead. It was starting to become very red, with the smack that Kumiko had dealt him unconsciously. Hibari glanced at the welt appreciatively. Who knew his herbivore packed such a punch? Maybe she's not as weak as he thought after all. He played with the idea of training her in combat. Mukuro growled upon seeing Hibari's amused smirk.

Suddenly, Kumiko bucked and thrashed. Mukuro is caught off guard again, getting kicked in the thigh. He let out a hiss in pain and moved away from the flailing girl. Kumiko continued to struggle against the illusionary bonds, making Mukuro grit his teeth in an attempt to keep it steady. Her eyes snapped open, and she wrapped her fingers around one of the chains curiously. Pulling hard on it, she snapped it around and smacked it into Mukuro's face.

"Oya. That hurt. I'm requesting a room change."

Kumiko sent him a wary frown and then went back to staring at the chain in her hands. She's wondering how it got there. She sent Hibari a questioning look, and he stared blankly back at her. Don't ask me, his eyes seemed to say. So she turned to Mukuro and held the chain out for him to take. With a flourish, he made them disappear, and she cracked a small smile. Mukuro's heart lifted slightly at her smile, and he chortled back at her. _The other Mukuro showed me. He can make...illusions, was it? In that case..._

Looking around, she found a piece of paper. She scribbled onto it, waving her request into Mukuro's face.

"Kufufu, you want me to make a painting set?"

She nodded vigorously, and he sighed. Snapping his fingers smartly, he let a blank canvas and a few multicolored paint buckets fall onto her bed. Kumiko gasped in delight and scrambled to collect the illusionary paint brushes. Her wary attitude disappeared immediately, to be replaced with candid delight. Within seconds, she's sitting on her heels, attacking the canvas ferociously with the paintbrushes and smears of color. Her enthusiasm radiated off her. Her brown hair is all messed up with her fight against Mukuro's chains and her eyes shone with intense happiness. Mukuro flopped, amused yet tired, upon his own hospital bed. Hibari, after making sure that his herbivore is in no way harmed, rolled over and went back to sleep once more. Kumiko is left with her paintbrushes, happily creating an image out of thin air.

* * *

><p>It's been so long since she's able to touch a paintbrush. Too long. She happily sketched onto the canvas, her energy level flaring with her enthusiasm.<p>

_First, I'll draw a portrait of Hibari, and Mukuro, and they'll be fighting, and Hibird will be flapping his wings and landing on Hibari's head, and then Mukuro should be giving Hibari a smug smirk but Hibari will be grinning confidently right back at him and then they'll clash weapons and then..._

Two seconds later and she's out for the count. Her soft sighs penetrated the silence of the night air. It felt good to rest with a paintbrush in her hands. Familiar, routine. Nothing's changed at all in her life.

The terror of her experiences with Nakamura finally left her.

* * *

><p>"Oh my goodness!" The nurse screeched upon entering the room. And she has a good reason to be angry.<p>

The whole room is covered in splotches of paint. Hibari and Mukuro were not spared, Hibari sporting a baby blue smudge across his cheek, and Mukuro having a hot pink spotted pineapple hairdo. The two of them were still sleeping, unaware of their current state. Kumiko is also asleep, her face planted on her painting. The nurse bustled in hurriedly, pulling the canvas away from her. Kumiko sat up sleepily, rubbing her left eye. Paint got into her eye, and she wailed in unhappiness.

Hibari shot up in surprise. He glanced around the room wildly. Mukuro's not the culprit, he's still sleeping with...pink...hair...

Hibari couldn't resist. He grabbed his phone and snapped a photo of Mukuro. It's too hilarious of a sight to pass, and besides, it'll make good blackmail material. Smirking evilly, he then turned his attention to Kumiko, who is rubbing at her eye and wailing in distress. Her face is covered completely in paint, the acrylic running down her cheeks in wet droplets and mixing with her tears. The bandaged right side of her face is no longer white, instead being rainbow colored. Hibari sighed in exasperation. Why is his herbivore so troublesome?

"Stop crying," he ordered. She stopped immediately, looking every bit like a small scolded child with the way her eye is clenched tightly shut and her fists rubbing at her cheeks. Hibari smiled ever so slightly at the sight. She looked like a small animal. Nurse Kono grimaced.

"Kumiko-san, let's go to the bathroom and get the paint off you, alright?" She nodded, and the nurse led her away. Hibari stared at the mess that his herbivore left behind. Damn that pineapple illusionist for actually granting her request. He looked around the room. The previously drab and austere room is now covered in paint flecks. His bed is sprayed with blue and orange, and Mukuro's bed is covered in pink and purple.

He caught sight of himself in the mirror and narrowed his eyes angrily. His face is half smeared in blue.

* * *

><p>"We gave her some medication, so her energy level is going to fluctuate quite a lot. She can be extremely hyper one second, and then be snoring the next. If you want, we'll move her to a different hospital. Sorry for the disturbance she's caused you, Hibari-san."<p>

The head doctor bowed deeply. Hibari yawned and pulled the covers back up to his waist, ignoring him completely. "No. She'll stay here. He can go." Hibari gestured to Mukuro. The doctor gave Mukuro a hard stare, scrutinizing the cheeky smile on Mukuro's face. The doctor silently willed Koizumi Kumiko not to make any further messes. Mukuro chuckled. "No, I'll stay as well. Her interactions are rather amusing." The doctor winced at his answer, but Hibari didn't do anything except huff in annoyance, much to his relief. Mukuro's hair is no longer pink spotted, having been washed and pulled back into it's original pineapple shape.

Kumiko is sprawled on her bed, fast asleep.

Hibari sent a silent glare in Mukuro's direction, and Mukuro chuckled back at him. "So possessive, are we?"

Hibari's eyes narrowed. What was Mukuro even doing with her? First, he woke up to find that she went out for ice cream, most likely with Rokudo Mukuro. Then he wakes up to find Mukuro in the same bed as Kumiko, which is suspicious to say the least. Hibari was very protective and territorial of his own property, so he didn't see anything wrong with Kumiko fighting Mukuro off, even though she was sleeping at the time. Then he realized that Kumiko knows about Mukuro's illusionary techniques, but didn't seem scared of him any more even though he has those freakish abilities. Intense irritation flowed into his mind as his brain pulled all the pieces together and clicked it into a picture that Hibari definitely wouldn't like.

Swinging himself off his own bed, he walked over to Kumiko's and got into hers, hugging her to his chest possessively, all the while glaring daggers at Mukuro. Mukuro's expression tightened, but he didn't make any move to take her away from him.

* * *

><p>When Hibari blearily opened his eyes and checked the watch on his wrist, he realized that the day was significantly darker than he had previously seen. It was already the 15th of February. The sun was still out and shining brightly, but with none of that midday glare that he was expecting. Yawning, he shuffled slightly to the side and looked down at Kumiko. She was still asleep, her fingers lightly tangled in his own. The sight almost made him smile, but he shook his head and used that positive energy to shake her awake instead. Glancing around the room, Hibari noticed that Mukuro's bed is empty and neatly made. It seems that Mukuro left.<p>

This time, there was no nightmare, and Kumiko woke up instantly. Her brown orbs, hazy and disorientated, blinked back at him owlishly. Upon seeing that it's only Hibari, she quickly buried her face into the crook of his neck, intent on going back to sleep. Hibari chuckled at her herbivorous behaviour and literally dragged her out of bed, leaving her squeaking and shivering with cold on the floor. Pulling her upright, he pressed a chaste kiss on her forehead and gently draped his jacket over her.

"We're leaving." No arguments, his tone demanded. She nodded immediately and pulled the jacket around herself tighter, inwardly pleased at the feeling of safety she got from just standing next to him.

Hibari pulled open the door of their room and stepped outside quickly, glancing around for any nurses. Some of them ran over immediately upon seeing Hibari walking around in nothing but bandages and trousers.

"Hibari-san! You mustn't move that much, your wounds might reopen..." A few of them protested, but Hibari shut them up with a glare. One of the nurses spotted Kumiko hiding behind Hibari and their eyes widened. Nurse Kono showed up, telling the others that she'd deal with Hibari herself. The other nurses scurried away gratefully, leaving the brave female to bear the wrath of the demon of Namimori.

Fortunately for her, Hibari owed her a few favors.

"I'm healed," he growled angrily, tonfas disappearing into thin air once more. Kumiko felt the sleeves of the jacket draped around her shoulders get heavier, and she wondered briefly how Hibari had managed to slip the tonfas into the sleeves when she wasn't looking. It was physically impossible, she decided, but then again, Hibari has always been one to defy any kind of rules. Rule of physics included.

"No, you're not. It still hurts, doesn't it?" Nurse Kono gestured to the bandages and Hibari stared stonily back at her. There was no way he was going to back down...

Kumiko stepped forward immediately and trailed her hand down his bandages worriedly. She shot him an anxious look, and he frowned back at her. "I'm fine." He almost spat the words out. Couldn't they understand that he didn't want to be confined to such a place? He could take care of his own wounds perfectly well. In fact, if it weren't for Kumiko, he wouldn't have come back at all.

Nurse Kono sighed. "Alright, alright. I'll give you some painkillers and medical balm to put on the wounds, as well as some spare bandages. If it doesn't heal properly, come back for a medical check up tomorrow." Hibari nodded curtly. _Finally. _

As soon as the medical prescriptions were gathered, Hibari left the building with Kumiko in tow. His cold hand gripped her right wrist slightly, tugging her behind him. The poor girl was really easy to tug along, Hibari realized. She was so light, its as if the wind could blow her over at any given moment. Hibari remembered when he'd first pushed her against a wall, and remembered that then she'd weighed normally. But now, she was way too thin for his liking. Thin, delicate and weak. Kumiko's right hand was clenched tightly around a plastic bag, filled with bandages and medicine along with the box of chocolates, the roses, the ring and the purple box. The plastic bag shook with each stumble she took.

Finally, they came to a park. Hibari staggered to a bench and sat down heavily. He frowned at the pain shooting through his chest. Kumiko started, running after him immediately and casting him worried glances. She ruffled through the plastic bag and dug out a painkiller, offering it to Hibari.

"I don't need it." He growled back, turning his head away.

She insisted. Stepping towards him, Kumiko tried not to tremble as she shoved the pill in Hibari's face. Hibari growled again and caught her wrist, squeezing it painfully. Her eyes watered, but she blinked the tears back. His grip loosened immediately upon seeing that he was hurting her. She glared at him, not bothering to pull her hand back and swipe away her tears, and offered the pill to him again, determined to make him take it.

Hibari sighed. His hand darted out and snatched the medicine, before he swallowed it quickly. Grimacing slightly at her, he couldn't help but feel a sense of relief at the pain ebbing away from his body. The pain quickly subsided.

"Kufufu...finally out, skylark? I was wondering how long it'd take." Mukuro stepped out from behind a tree, laughing at the blank look on Hibari's face. Hibari looked like he wanted to smack someone, but he only drew the girl closer to his side. Kumiko wrapped her arms around his chest protectively, sending wary looks in Mukuro's direction.

Mukuro stayed still, with that infuriating smirk still plastered to his face. Inwardly, he was seething at Hibari's actions. How is he going to get the girl to become closer with him without seeming like he's trying to steal her away from the possessive skylark?

And then it hit him.

_Use Chrome to get close to her. _

* * *

><p>Kumiko stared at the rubble that was once her apartment. The door was ripped off it's hinges, her furniture shattered into splinters. The dining table was ripped apart, claw marks running down the legs. Deep grooves were also carved into her floor and sofa, leaving a trail of destruction running throughout the room. Her television had a hole running through it, revealing wires and sparking electricity. The plates and glasses in the kitchen were all knocked over and shattered on the floor. Dark red liquid stained the floor in certain spots, and she shuddered to think what they might be.<p>

Luckily, most of the damage stayed in the living room. She wandered to her room, seeing that her bed, desk and closet were left relatively in one piece.

"Pack up, herbivore. You're coming to live with me." Kumiko sped into action immediately, grabbing a suitcase and packing it with all her clothing garments she could set her eyes on. She also retrieved the meager jewelry she owned and her wallet with her credit card inside. Kumiko managed to keep herself alive by working part time at a pet shop, therefore she had a bank account to store her money. The pay wasn't that great, but it was sufficient for her to keep renting this apartment. She shuddered to think how much the repair bill's going to cost.

"Kufufu. I don't think that's such a good idea." Mukuro cut into her thoughts, earning himself a hard glare from the head prefect.

"She's a girl, in case you haven't noticed." Kumiko blushed and Mukuro savored the way Hibari was furiously snarling at him under his breath. "She'll feel awkward living with you, don't you think? I think she should live with Chrome."

Hibari stiffened. "In Kokuyo land? I don't think so."

"Oya, she moved out. I feel that Kokuyo land isn't a suitable living place for Chrome, so I allowed her to move to an apartment not too far from here. She's independent, she'll be fine."

Hibari's suspicions didn't go away. He knew that the illusionist could sometimes take over Chrome's body. Living with Chrome may mean living with Mukuro himself. "I can't take over Chrome's body anymore, if you didn't know. Since I was released from Vindiche, I haven't felt the need to keep up the connection with her. Besides, she can make her own organs now. She doesn't need me constantly by her side."

Hibari still didn't trust Mukuro, but he decided to let it slide this once. True, it would be improper for Koizumi Kumiko to live at his house, no matter how intimate they may be. They weren't of age to start living together if they weren't already relatives, and it would be awkward.

"Fine. But..." Hibari handed Kumiko a new phone, much to her surprise. Hibari must've gotten it when he'd bought those chocolates for her. "My number is inside." Without another word, Hibari turned around and walked off, giving Mukuro a warning glower.

Mukuro laughed and led Kumiko away. He noticed with a pang that the girl stayed well away from him. Soon, they approached Chrome's apartment. He wasn't lying about that part. In fact, it was Chrome that had requested their change of living area. She had found a small job at a convenience store and was able to bring in some income, and she'd made illusionary money to pay for the apartment, with promises to pay everything back later when she'd earned enough money. Mukuro harbored genuine pride in his heart for Chrome. He felt that she'd displayed a lot of independence by moving out, and she even sent some money to him occasionally for him, Ken and Chikusa to buy food. Mukuro was able to get buy with illusionary money, so had tried to persuade Chrome to stop sending money, but the girl was adamant on helping her Mukuro-sama and her friends, so Mukuro had let her, if only to set her mind at peace.

Mukuro knocked on the door and it swung open almost immediately, revealing Kumiko's classmate clad in a simple purple dress. Chrome blinked her one good eye. "Mukuro-sama!" Chrome exclaimed happily, smiling up at Mukuro.

"Kufufufu, it's good to see you again, my dear Nagi. Now, I need you to take care of someone for me."

He stepped aside to reveal Kumiko, staring abashedly at her feet. Kumiko didn't want to trouble the girl, but she didn't want to trouble Hibari even further after all he did for him, and she didn't want to live with Mukuro either. Chrome was literally her only choice left. There was no-one else in her class she could turn to.

Chrome blinked at the shy girl on her doorstep. Kumiko blinked back panicked tears and looked up at her, mouthing: "_I'm so sorry to intrude, but please...I have nowhere else to go..." _Chrome's eyes softened immediately.

"O-okay. M-mukuro-sama, what about you? You..c-can live h-here too if y-you want..." She stuttered, blushing when Mukuro shook his head. "I'm fine, my dear Nagi. Just take good care of Koizumi Kumiko here. I'll come visit you again soon." Mukuro turned around and walked away from Chrome's doorstep, waving his hand jauntily in goodbye. "Say hello to Ken and Chikusa for me!" Chrome called after him with a small smile.

She stopped and stared at the girl still standing awkwardly on her doorstep. Chrome had helped her before, so Kumiko wasn't too scared of her. Chrome opened the door wider. "Would you like to come in?" She started and then nodded quickly, stepping towards the pineapple haired girl. Chrome closed the door quickly, and then gestured for the girl to start unpacking.

"This apartment is quite nice." Chrome started, leading the girl to one of the guest rooms. "If I do say so myself..." Chrome blushed. It was weird having to interact with another girl that's as shy as her. Kumiko might even be shyer.

Kumiko let out a happy gasp at the guest room. It was neat, with a closet and a desk as well as a readily made bed. Chrome laughed softly. "Mukuro-sama helped me decorate this when I first moved in."

Kumiko lunged towards the purple haired girl, catching Chrome by surprise completely. Kumiko hugged Chrome quickly and then pulled back, thoroughly embarrassed. "_Thank you so much." _She mouthed. It's just that she felt so grateful at Mukuro's sister that she felt the need to express it physically. Besides, Chrome may even be the nicest girl she's ever met before. She hoped with all her heart that Chrome wouldn't betray her, but since Mukuro trusted Chrome and since Mukuro had saved her from Nakamura, she should trust Chrome too.

* * *

><p><em>Pain. That's all I can feel right now. My legs are numb and I can't feel them anymore, but it didn't matter because I can still feel the pain spiralling around my spine and my head, pounding my chest in like a hammer. I coughed dryly, the air scraping my throat. My fingers twitched and I willed them to move. My hand clenched and unclenched, sending searing spikes of pain shooting up through my torso.<em>

_I heard a nurse come into my room. "What's my condition.." I wanted to croak, but my throat was too dry. It came out as a raspy breath. Someone else asked for me though, and I felt hate lodge itself into my heart at the familiar, squeaky voice. _

_"What is her condition, nurse?" _

_Arcobaleno Reborn. The person that had caused this to happen to me. The person that had found out about my secret. The mere baby that had blackmailed me into not killing Hibari at that very last moment. I could've thrown the knife. I could've killed him so easily, but if I did, Reborn would've..._

_"She has a broken spine, she's paralysed from waist down. The right side of her face is scraped heavily and her scalp also took some very hard hits. She had a skull fracture, but that is now healing. Her left arm is paralysed as well, but her right arm is okay. Her right eye is blind." _

_It's ironic. I wanted to hurt Koizumi Kumiko this badly, yet I ended up getting hurt instead. It's all because of that damn Reborn. If Reborn hadn't showed up, I definitely would've killed her. I definitely would've killed Hibari. I would've killed Nakamura as well. _

_I'm not useless, she assured herself as she slowly opened her eyes. I'll make a comeback. Just you wait, Koizumi Kumiko. Cold brown orbs surveyed the room, coming to rest on the little baby standing on the window sill. Reborn smirked and tilted his fedora in greeting, uncaring of the fierce hatred that crossed the girl's expression. _

"Ciaossu, Komatsu Tsubaki. Finally awake?"

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><p>AN: LIKE I SAID, PLEASE MAKE IT A PAINLESS DEATH!

Thanks to those who reviewed the previous chapter! **ChinaDang, BreeRenee, mirageseason132, xXBloodyIllusionXx**

****I hope that was enough fluff for most of you, because I need to move on to another arc LOL. I need to finish filling in the plotholes. But let me know what you think. If you want more fluff, then I'll definitely squeeze some of it in! And sorry if I'm totally butchering Mukuro or Chrome's character, but I tried my best to let them stay in character. Well, Chrome is a bit more confident, but I think she's fine actually. Anyway...

READ AND REVIEW :)


	20. Inner Conflict

Disclaimer: I don't own Katekyo Hitman Reborn!  
>Rating: T<br>A/N: I've reached 60 reviews! THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT, EVERYONE! I really appreciate it. As you guys have heard in the last chapter, this story is going to go back to becoming more plot based. There's going to be equal amounts of fluff from both characters for Kumiko (lucky her, ne?) but yes, there's going to be a lot of plot-driven moments. I have a lot of plotholes to fill, and so little time to write. So please, bear with me...and I hope you guys continue to support my work. I hope the quality of my writing hasn't gone down in anyway.

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><p>Inner Conflict<p>

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><p>The bell rang and she scrambled to open the door. A couple walked in, hand in hand, beaming and smiling at each other. "We're...ahem...we're looking for a small puppy? We just recently got married, and so we've always wanted a pet to guard the house for us. Could you recommend any breeds for us? Thank you so much..." The man was too busy staring at the woman behind him as his partner's face brightened as she looked at all the cute little animals that were on display. Kumiko nodded and led them to the golden retriever section, leaving the woman to fawn over the various puppies leaping up to lick her hands. The old man behind the counter sent her a gentle smile and beckoned for her to come over.<p>

"Ah, Kumiko. Don't be so shy, here. Use this whiteboard, you can answer their questions. I know you know these animals well, so I'm sure you can give them much better recommendations than just simply a breed, ne?" Kumiko nodded and the man cast her an encouraging grin.

Smoothing her uniform, she coughed to gain their attention. The man looked back at her briefly, scanning what she'd written on the board.

"_It depends on whether you want a quieter dog or a more proactive dog. Or would you like one somewhere in between the two?" _

The man turned to the woman and tapped her on the shoulder. She turned back to him, holding a squirming puppy in her arms. The puppy looked pretty uncomfortable being held in that position, so Kumiko hurried forward, wiping the board clean.

"_Please don't hold him like that. You're squeezing his ribs too much. It's hurting him." _The woman cast her a disbelieving glance and put the puppy back down. Straightening, she looked the little girl over with a frown. "And who might you be? A dog expert?" Kumiko sighed. She got quite a lot of trouble from the customers, not to mention stares and whispers because she couldn't communicate with them properly. She looked towards the front of the desk, where the old man was reading a newspaper and paying them no heed, trusting her to be able to handle the situation well.

"_Well, I know that he wasn't being comfortable with the way he was being held.." _She started hesitantly, wincing when the lady sniffed at her explanation and started to walk out the store. The poor man cast her an apologetic glance and walked out after her. The door tinkled with finality after it swung shut, leaving her to mope about her unsuccessful answer.

She went to the cupboard and picked up a mop, deciding to clean the floor while her shift was still ongoing, even though it was quite difficult mopping the floor with only one hand. The old man shrugged at her when she mouthed that they had left, but even she could see through his nonchalance and tell that he was disappointed in her. She felt frustration and self pity mounting inside her. Everyone thought she was weird, because she couldn't talk back. They either think she's mentally disabled, or she's thinking that they're not worth talking to, or simply that she's unwilling to help them. Abandoning the mop to the side, she sat down and stretched her hand out towards the puppies in the cage. They danced wildly and fought to lick her hand, bringing a smile to her face as she petted them all individually. Stroking their fur, she laughed as they rolled around on the floor, bellies exposed for her to tickle. Giggling, she reached both hands inside the cage and started to ruffle their fur, making them yap and circle around her hands.

The door tinkled again, and she didn't even bother to lift her head. Still sulking slightly at the unsuccessful buy, she didn't even have the energy or will to greet the new customer. She supposed that the old man would take care of this one. He wouldn't want to lose another customer again, would he?

"I want to buy some birdseed."

As soon as the request left the new customer's mouth, Kumiko was running towards him. Hibari's eyes widened for a fraction of a second as the little brown haired girl came hurtling towards him, crashing into him for a hug. His arms wrapped around her automatically.

"Hn? So this is where you work, herbivore." He glanced around the little pet shop approvingly. The old man stood behind the counter, gaping as the shy little girl had just hugged the most feared person in the whole of this little town. Hibari sent him a sharp glare, daring him to say anything about his interactions with this girl, and the shopkeeper turned away hurriedly, suddenly finding the peeling plaster on one section of the wall very interesting. Kumiko cast her shy brown eyes up at him, seeing that Hibari was smirking down at her.

"So, herbivore, where's the birdseed section?" She leapt up and straightened her blouse, blushing. Leading Hibari to the bird section, she pointed him to the tastiest one and watched as he carefully rifled through the different products on sale, checking to see which one was the healthiest for Hibird. Suppressing a giggle at the look of concentration that came over his face, she turned around and petted the parrot hanging in the cage. "Kumiko!" The parrot squawked, making her jump and Hibari turn around curiously.

"Wao." Hibari extended his hand towards the parrot, letting the large bird nibble at his fingers before moving to stroke it's head. "Kumiko!" The parrot squawked once more, blinking back at Hibari.

Kumiko watched as a serene smile crept over Hibari's usually strict expression. He looked genuinely at peace, smiling as the bird leaned into his touch. Kumiko's heart fluttered. He definitely looked more approachable and nice, she daresay, with the way he's actually gently interacting with the animal. Hibari's gaze slid sideways, to catch her in the act of staring at him with a look of disbelief. She blushed immediately, and turned away from the male, going back to rearranging the birdseed.

Her actions were stopped as Hibari's arms crept around her waist. His breath tickled in her ear. "Jealous, herbivore?" She shook her head wildly at his words. That's preposterous! Jealous at a mere bird? Well, some part of her reasoned, she would like Hibari to look at her that way, at least once.

_But he did. _She jerked in surprise as a memory of older Hibari crossed her mind once more. Just before he'd given her the box and ring for Valentines Day, his eyes had softened and he'd smiled at her. Just like how Hibari smiled at the bird...

All coherent thought flew out of her mind as Hibari began nibbling on her collarbone. She squirmed, gasping and laughing at the ticklish sensation, giggling even more when he moved his touch upwards to taste her neck. His arms kept her firmly in place as he continued to trail his lips over her exposed skin, leaving her flushed and panting. When he pulled away, Kumiko exacted her revenge by whirling and launching herself at him, latching onto him tightly once more. Their lips met, and Hibari assumed dominance immediately, biting her hard on her bottom lip to make her open her mouth and slipping his tongue inside. He backed her up against the shelves, ravaging her mouth and squeezing her waist gently. Their tongues danced, and Hibari decided that he really liked the feeling of Kumiko gasping at his touches. He liked what he could do to the girl, and he liked making her squirm and laugh.

"Kumiko! Kumiko!" The parrot squawked once more, making Hibari break off his ministrations. Giving the girl one last smirk, he grabbed the packet of birdseed that he was going to buy for Hibird and strode to the counter.

Kumiko, still blushing, pressed her hands up to her warm cheeks. She smiled happily. It felt weird to know that she was in a relationship with the Hibari Kyoya, and she wondered what her mother would have said if she was still alive. Her mother would probably be proud of her, she thought. Or supportive. Or maybe mockingly angry, but still happy for her.

* * *

><p>"I'm home, Kumiko-san!" Chrome called out to her temporary brown haired tenant. Kumiko jumped up from petting Kuro, and smiled brightly at Chrome, leaving the other girl giggling.<p>

Kuro, thankfully, had been retrieved from the apartment right after Mukuro had led her to Chrome's apartment. The old man at the pet store had informed her that her cat was currently being held at an animal rescue centre, and Chrome had accompanied Kumiko to retrieve Kuro immediately. Kumiko had cried in joy when she saw that Kuro was unharmed. Honestly, the cat was the only thing that Kumiko could depend on to be there for her. She hoped that Chrome, Hibari, and maybe even Mukuro could join her 'dependable' category. Kuro mewed and rubbed himself against her hand, and she giggled at the small cat's antics.

Chrome was actually quite open once you got to know her properly, Kumiko realized. She was really nice, and was opposite to Komatsu in every way. For one, all her smiles were genuine, reaching her eyes and making Kumiko feel extremely at ease. For another, Chrome didn't radiate the sense of intimidating confidence that came from Komatsu almost all the time. She had her uncertain moments, as well as her headstrong moments or sometimes depressed moments. All in all, Chrome seemed so much more human than Komatsu had ever been.

With a shy smile, the mute girl offered Chrome an envelope. Chrome's eyes widened and she started stuttering. "W-what's this? Y-You didn't h-have to..." Kumiko shook her head and placed the envelope in the girl's hands gently. Chrome opened the envelope to find a hefty check and a small slip of paper.

"_Thank you so much for taking care of me! This is the least I can do for your hospitality..._" Chrome hugged the shy girl, and Kumiko returned the hug awkwardly with one hand. Chrome bounced back, eyes shining, to look at the brown haired girl once more. "T-thank you!" She managed out, before laughing and running to put the money into the piggy bank on top of the shoe cabinet.

Kumiko knew that Chrome had hopes of helping her Mukuro-sama, and her friends Ken and Chikusa find somewhere safe to stay. She had told Kumiko over cups of hot chocolate one night that Mukuro, Ken and Chikusa have to stay in a rundown amusement park called Kokuyo Land. Kumiko had started at that. Brief chunks of memory floated into her mind, about how she was with her mother and father that fateful day, driving back from her birthday in Kokuyo Land, and her father had turned around to smile briefly at her. "_Did you like it, Kumiko? The trip to the fun amusement park?_" She remembered her young, 5 year old voice. "_Hai, papa!" _And that was the last time she heard her father speak. That was the last time she spoke herself.

Her eyes had saddened, and Chrome had worriedly dropped the subject. But now that she knew Chrome was working so hard to give her friends a better living place, how could she just stand by and watch? So she'd made up her resolve to help in any way she could, whether it was by discreetly dropping all her change into Chrome's change jar, or giving the girl envelopes of checks. The pay rise helped. After Hibari's sudden appearance, and after Hibari had left the shop successfully without breaking anything or threatening anyone like he usually did, the old man had actually paid her more to keep on working in his store, just so that Hibari wouldn't come into his store with a bad mood. It was funny, because the old man had then gone home and boasted about how Hibari Kyoya had left his store without being ruthless in discipline like he usually did. The old man had also told the tale of how the young couple had actually kissed during her shift, getting a few laughs from the many who were listening to the story. Everyone then decided that Kumiko was good luck to have in their store. Words spread fast in the small town of Namimori, and a few days later, Kumiko had gotten multiple job offers from all over the town, and she was still deciding on whether she should take up on some more part time job offers.

She trotted to the kitchen and started up the kettle, boiling water for tea to go with their meal. _I'll cook cold soba tonight. _Kumiko's cooking skills weren't great at all. In fact, they were just sufficient to make her cooking edible, but other than that, she didn't know how to make any fancy dishes. When she'd shyly offered Chrome dinner after the purple haired girl came home from work late at night one day, Kumiko had watched anxiously as Chrome finished her meal, hoping that her friend wouldn't kneel over or choke or anything horrific. Imagine her surprise when Chrome looked back at her and smiled happily. "It tastes good!" She had said, and Kumiko had gaped at her in surprise. Chrome had laughed, embarrassed. "Well, truth be told, I can't cook that well either. So to me, this is really good..." And the two girls became closer.

Stirring the pot of noodles, Kumiko smiled at the way the day had gone. She relived her moments with Hibari over and over again, almost burning the noodles when she'd looked off at the wall dreamily, one hand pressed to her lips. She almost felt like giggling like a lovestruck schoolgirl, even though she could see Hibari every day. At school, they had almost a sort of unspoken agreement not to interact with each other romantically, and it's rare that Hibari was willing to display his affection so publicly like he did today. She found herself wishing that Hibari would be a bit more affectionate...

_Like he was in that dream..._For some reason, the one dream she had with Hibari had stayed captured within her memories. She distinctly remembered that Hibari wasn't rough with his kisses in that dream at all, in fact, he was as gentle as she could ever hope him to be. _I'm too picky, _Kumiko berated herself, scooping the noodles out and splitting them into the plates already prepared. She should love Hibari for who he is, and the way their relationship is going is just fine for her.

* * *

><p>The doorbell rang, and Kumiko ran over to open the door. Chrome was in the shower, if the running water in the bathroom was anything to go by. Kumiko cautiously peeked out and one hand immediately shot out to pat her on the head. Kumiko reeled backwards at the contact and almost shut the door in the face of her chuckling visitor.<p>

Mukuro caught the slam neatly in his hand, pushing the door wider so that he could step through. "Kufufu..I came to see how my dear Chrome is doing. And visit you too, of course, Koizumi Kumiko." Kumiko smiled uneasily at him, still not knowing what Mukuro would do next. He was unpredictable as always, making Kumiko feel the need to keep her guard up. Kuro slunk over and meowed at the unfamiliar face, making Mukuro chuckle and bend down to pet the small feline. Mukuro soon had Kuro purring and stretching underneath his pats. Kumiko smiled, a bit more relaxed than before. She loved it when people showed appreciation to animals, and the way Mukuro was interacting with Kuro reminded her of Hibari with the parrot.

Kumiko led the way inside, glad that she'd coincidentally made enough soba to serve three. Splitting the noodles again, she watched as Mukuro surveyed the rest of the room with amusement clear in his eyes. "Oya...I remember this..." He picked up a photograph of him, Chrome, Ken and Chikusa by Kokuyo Land.

"Mukuro-sama!" Chrome called happily as she stepped out of the shower, already dressed in her purple nightgown. Mukuro chuckled and Kumiko watched as the two siblings hugged. If it weren't for the fact that they both sport the same hairstyle, Kumiko wouldn't have even thought that the two were siblings. Chrome seemed so innocent, while Mukuro seemed like he was plotting someone's downfall almost all the time. The only time she'd thought he had wanted to do any good deed without having something in for him was when he'd bought her ice cream, and look how well that turned out.

As if reading her thoughts, Mukuro immediately turned to the girl and sent her a lazy smirk. If she were a cat or any animal, she would've raised her hackles by now. She stomped back into the kitchen, mood thoroughly ruined with Mukuro's playfulness. She heard Chrome calling for her, but didn't reappear. She leant on the side of the sink, contemplating why she felt so annoyed towards Mukuro.

Maybe it's because she hardly knows him and yet he had the gall to approach her so openly. While he knew she was in a relationship with Hibari Kyoya as well. It infuriated her, but she supposed she couldn't do anything. The clinking of cutlery from the dining room informed her that both Mukuro and Chrome have started eating without her. She didn't move. She didn't feel hungry anyway.

Her phone beeped. She looked down at the ID and saw that it was Hibari. Her mood lifted immediately. Flipping open the phone, she scanned the message briefly, smiling at how sweet it sounded.

**"Herbivore. Meet me after school tomorrow in the coffee shop by the pet store." **

_**"Why?" **_

**"Don't ask me now...it's a surprise."**

She shut off her phone happily, practically waltzing out of the kitchen to sit at the table beside Chrome. She felt ravenous, all of a sudden, but all so eager for the day to end. She couldn't wait for tomorrow to come, what with the surprise treat awaiting at the end of it. She didn't know what she did to make him happy, but she must've done so somehow. Hibari Kyoya doesn't reward people for anything.

* * *

><p>Hibari placed his black phone back into his pocket and focused his gaze on the novel that lay spread out on his lap. He was sitting cross legged on the tatami mats in his room, reading. Contrary to the popular beliefs, Hibari Kyoya was a great lover of books. No, he did not beat people up in his free time. Instead, he would very much like to have some peace and quiet to himself, reading or napping.<p>

He combed a hand through his still wet hair, sighing wearily. A pile of fresh bandages lay beside him on the table, waiting to be used. But he couldn't be bothered right now. He felt in an unusually positive mood. Hibird snuggled sleepily into the pillow on the sofa, and Hibari raised his hand to absentmindedly pet his little bird companion. The packet of birdseed lay open on the table, multicolored pellets contrasting with the stark white of the bandages. The packets' contents are spread out for the little canary to take as it pleases, but Hibird was too full to eat anymore.

Hibari flicked his eyes to the clock on the wall. 8:30 pm, the clock informed him. He wondered what his herbivore was currently doing. Sighing once more, he went back to reading, immersing himself in the sheer momentum of wordplay and the simplicity of black printed on white.

* * *

><p>"Why are you so happy all of a sudden, Kumiko-san?" Kumiko tossed the phone to her, watching as Chrome caught it neatly with one hand. Mukuro leant over her shoulder to read what was written on the screen.<p>

"Kufufu...he has a surprise planned for you, huh?" Chrome smiled happily at her female companion. "That's so sweet of him!" She squeaked, making Kumiko blush and nod in agreement. Chrome continued to converse with Kumiko, while the girl texted her answers to Chrome's questions out on her phone. Mukuro stared at the two of them, completely silent.

Suddenly, he opened his mouth. "My dear Nagi, I'm so sorry, but I have to go now. Ken and Chikusa are both waiting for me." Chrome smiled and nodded, but then frowned when she looked at the clock. Unknowingly, the two girls have discussed the 'surprise' for two hours. It was now 10:30, and Chrome didn't want Mukuro to have to go home so late.

"Mukuro-sama, why don't you stay here for the night? I'm sure Ken and Chikusa can fend for themselves for one night. Besides, I sent them some money yesterday. They will have something to eat." Mukuro took on a thoughtful expression. "Oya, I don't see why not." Chrome blushed happily, and even Kumiko found that she couldn't disagree. Sending Mukuro out of their apartment so late at night isn't reasonable, and besides, Mukuro is Chrome's brother. They would want to stay close to each other.

She obediently took a shower and dressed into her pajamas, bringing out one of Chrome's spare mattresses to use. Dragging it into Chrome's room, she allowed Mukuro to take the guest room where she'd taken up temporary residence. Mukuro sent her a smile before disappearing into the room. Chrome led Kumiko inside her own room and gestured for the girl to go ahead and lie down on the bed. Kumiko refused politely, lying down on the mattress instead. Chrome, having gotten used to the fact that Kumiko can be very stubborn when it comes to courtesy, didn't question her on it and lay down in her own bed.

"What else do you do with him? Cloud-man, I mean?" Kumiko giggled. She found it weird when Chrome referred to Hibari as Cloud-man, even though Chrome had explained to her that it was something to do with a 'Family' or something like that. Apparently, Hibari was a guardian. She secretly thought that Hibari and Chrome were too old to be playing 'Family', but she guessed everyone had to expose their inner child at some point in their life. Besides, it's not like she's completely mature and above the level of playing pretend. Sometimes...sometimes at night, she mouths conversations with an imaginary mother, thinking up her responses. It's a secret she's not willing to tell anyone except for really close friends, and she really lacks those. She had a feeling that she would be laughed at if she ever told anyone about this matter anyway.

Blushing, she wrote a reply on a piece of paper, pushing it towards the curious purple-haired girl.

"_We don't really hold hands a lot, because Hibari-san doesn't really like too much of a touchy-feely relationship. There are times when he gets really affectionate though, and I really like it when he hugs me or something. But most of the time, we spend time together in companionable silence. I mean, it kind of matches that I can't speak, because Hibari never was one to express his feelings through words anyway."_

Chrome nodded in understanding. Kumiko smiled back up at her, but the smile faltered a bit as she saw an emotion quickly flit across the female illusionist's face. For lack of better words, Kumiko would've described that fleeting look as jealously. It was soon wiped away though, and Kumiko managed to convince herself that she was being too paranoid after Komatsu's betrayal.

* * *

><p>"Mukuro-sama?" Chrome knocked quietly on Mukuro's door, long after she made sure that the other girl was asleep. The door swung open immediately, revealing a shirtless Mukuro.<p>

"Can't sleep, Nagi?" Mukuro patted her on the head softly, gesturing for her to step inside.

"You know," He started. "I never would've thought that you would fall for the skylark." Chrome stayed silent at this, while Mukuro's chuckles rolled around the room quietly. "Well, I guess I should've seen it coming. He did save your life in the future, correct?" Chrome nodded mutely. She remembered the feeling of Hibari lifting her up and looking her in the eye, silently giving her the strength to continue living. She was grateful to him. Even though Mukuro-sama had saved her in a much more physical way, she felt that Hibari had saved her mentally. She felt so much stronger, and it gave her the determination to become independent on her own.

Hibari was the reason why she had decided to move out of Kokuyo Land. Even though she'd never told that to Mukuro directly, Chrome knew that the male mist guardian knew. She'd been inspired by how Hibari taught her to make her own organs, and had quietly vowed to herself that she would become stronger, if only to make him see her as something more than the pathetic herbivore she knew he was seeing her as right now.

"I approve, Nagi." Mukuro laughed quietly again. It was all quite ironic, the way things have turned out. Chrome's eye widened. "You do, Mukuro-sama?"

"Somehow, we were never meant to be anyway. I won't way it doesn't hurt, but we are like twins. It would feel wrong for us to be together. We are too much alike, yet too different." She supposed it made perfect sense, but still, a pang went through her heart at the thought of Mukuro thinking they would never be. She, for one, had had a crush on Mukuro since he'd saved her with his illusions. Those feelings have been pushed into the back of her mind, latched into place and buried underneath all her feelings for Hibari Kyoya. But never forgotten. And it still hurt.

"Nagi, look at me. Don't look like that. It's for the better, don't you see? If you want to go after Hibari Kyoya, then you have to forget your feelings for me."

Chrome blinked back the tears threatening to spill out from the sides of her eyes, and nodded bravely. Mukuro pulled her into a hug. "I see you as nothing more than a sister. I'm so sorry, my dear Nagi."

Chrome nodded mutely, her heart stuck in her throat. It felt like a lump of words was lodged in her esophagus, rendering her incapable of speech or breathing. Swallowing, she let determination take over her feelings. She was going to go after the man she loved, she decided. The only problem is..

"Koizumi Kumiko is in love with him, and he's in love with her as well." Mukuro answered her. She nodded.

"Mukuro-sama, I don't think I should break in between them. They seem happy together..."

"But what if Kumiko suddenly likes someone else? What would Hibari do then?"

Chrome started at the insinuation that came with that sentence. "Mukuro-sama?" She breathed, looking at the male increduously. Instead of looking ambitious like she'd expected him to, Mukuro looked incredibly, impossibly sad. He drew Chrome closer.

"I'll tell you a secret, my dear Nagi." He whispered. Chrome shivered as his warm breath caressed the skin on her cheek gently, washing over the smoothness and misting it up with minute drops of warm water.

"I'm..." The secret was finally out. Mukuro's eyes closed and Chrome's eyes widened. Mukuro pulled away, his expression blank as if he'd never showed her a glimpse of the pain hidden in his soul.

* * *

><p><em>Did I turn into an insomniac?<em>

Kumiko had watched as Chrome crept out of bed quietly and left to go into Mukuro's room. She wondered what they were doing there. Catching up on news in their lives, she supposed. She felt quite guilty for hogging all of Chrome's attention this dinner. And Mukuro didn't contribute much to the conversation either. They didn't even have time to talk to each other and here she was, being selfish and boasting about how Hibari was going to take her on a date tomorrow.

Kumiko glanced at the clock on the wall. It was already 4 in the morning, and she was supposed to attend school tomorrow. She couldn't afford to waste her precious resting time like this. The clock ticked away steadily, and she's lost count of how many ticks she's counted since her last thought.

Outside, the world was dark and forboding. The moon line shone through the clear night, washing everything in a eerie silver glow. She could faintly see the outline of her mobile phone on the dresser, and so she stretched her arm out and grabbed it.

_"__**Hibari-san, are you asleep?" **_She knew the consequences of waking him up, but she felt so incredibly lonely that she just had to text him. If he didn't reply, that would mean that he's still asleep, so that was okay..

**"Not anymore. Why are you awake, herbivore? Go to sleep. If you're not on time for school tomorrow, I'll bite you to death."**

_**"I don't feel well, Hibari-san. I can't sleep." **_It was true. She had this dreaded, twisting feeling in the pit of her stomach.

**"Just try." **

She didn't know what to say to that. Would he be disappointed in her if she didn't try? If she didn't make it to school tomorrow?

She slowly put the phone back on the dresser, and turned around, pulling the blankets over her head. Closing her eyes, she emptied her mind of all thoughts before slowly drifting off.

* * *

><p>Chrome watched apprehensively as the girl closed her eyes. She crept slowly out of bed and hooked her hand around the phone, quickly swiping it off the dresser. She opened the messaging option and scanned the previous messages.<p>

Placing her fingers on the keyboard, she bit her lip. Should she do this? It feels so incredibly wrong. Maybe she should give up on Hibari Kyoya. But Mukuro-sama...Mukuro-sama needed her.

**"**_**I still can't sleep. Hibari-san, I don't want to meet you after school tomorrow.**_**" **She typed.

The reply was instantaneous. **"Why?" **

Chrome steeled her heart. She knew she was betraying the girl. She knew Koizumi Kumiko would be extremely angry if she found out, not to mention hurt. She knew she was ruining something sweet between the two of them. But she couldn't help but be selfish. If not for her, for Mukuro-sama. Mukuro-sama needs her to do this. Mukuro-sama needs _her. _

**"**_**I just don't feel like it. Besides...Mukuro asked me to go somewhere first."**_

It took a longer time for the Head Prefect to reply this time.

**"Fine." **Even with this short message, Chrome could tell that Hibari was hurt or disappointed in some way. She took a look at the sleeping girl curled up on the mattress and silently put the phone back on the dresser.

* * *

><p>AN: ALKSNDFLAKSDNF I'm making the plot deeper and deeper without meaning to...I'M SO SORRY IF I'M CONFUSING ANYONE. Truth be told, I'm confusing myself too. Don't worry, I'll try to tie up all the loose ends as soon as possible so that you guys don't have to wait too long for the finale. Or all the secrets to be revealed. On another note: EARLY UPDATE! I'M SO TOTALLY SUPPOSED TO BE STUDYING FOR MY MATH TEST RIGHT NOW...

Thanks for those who reviewed the last update (I'm crediting people who reviewed since I last updated because some of you reviewed other chapters and I don't want to leave you out.) Anyways, thank you to: **Rotten Heresy and Chocolate, mirageseason132, anon, Bree Renee, kuroitsubasa24 and moka-chin**

Sorry to all those who are looking for more Mukuro fluff, I'm going to make sure to balance it out more the next few chapters. Don't worry, Mukuro will get his moments. Please bear with me..I'm really inexperienced at writing fluff. OKAY, SO PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!


	21. Misunderstandings

Disclaimer: I don't own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.  
>Rating: T.<p>

* * *

><p>Misunderstandings<p>

* * *

><p>Her school bag flapped crazily against her back as she sprinted down the driveway. Her brown bangs were pushed back by the wind, whipping wildly around her. Despite her hurried air, her face showed a serene expression of pure happiness. Skipping around a corner, the cafe came into view. Kumiko smiled widely and jogged to a stop outside the small coffee shop, pushing the door open unhurriedly.<p>

"Welcome!" The waitresses chimed, and Kumiko nodded back at them. They shrugged and turned away from her when no words seem to come out of the girl's mouth. Within seconds, the waitresses were behind the doors to the kitchen.

"Oh, do you think that's Hibari's girlfriend?"

"She looks so shy! I thought he would go for more headstrong, stubborn women!"

"What? I thought he was asexual!"

They giggled and tittered on about the rumors, leaving the object of their discussion unattended for quite a while. Kumiko didn't really mind. She seemed content to just sit there and cast her gaze out the window, waiting for his familiar silhouette to come into view. She could already imagine his prideful loping strides, his jacket fluttering behind him like a banner of confidence, pride splashed around the jacket sleeve in the form of the little red armband that marked him as someone above the general populace.

Her gaze turned dreamy as she waited. Pretty soon, the two waitresses out-gossiped themselves and trotted over to take her order.

"So, what would you like to drink?"

Kumiko blinked and glanced up at them. One of them laughed and smiled at her uncertain expression. "Oh, we don't bite. Unlike certain people..." She winked and Kumiko blushed immediately. The other waitress, having seen the commotion from another table, quickly jogged over.

"Hey, is it true? Is it really true that you two are going out?" Kumiko gaped at her for a second, redness slowly creeping across her pale cheeks. She dipped her head, and the two young ladies laughed at her shyness.

"Oh dear! Hibari Kyoya goes for the shy ones, apparently! But I'm not surprised. Look at her, she's adorable!"

Kumiko spluttered and quickly reached inside her bag for her trusty notepad and pencil. Scribbling a quick explanation, she pushed it up to show the two women. They 'aww'ed at her text.

_Hibari-san really is my boyfriend..._

"Are you waiting for him?" She nodded and they both paled slightly. Hibari Kyoya coming to their coffee shop was quite rare, since he hardly ever showed his face at the restaurants in Namimori. In fact, the only places where he was sighted is probably the pet shop and occasionally the supermarkets to buy food. Finally, one of them cleared her throat.

"Well, that's really sweet of him. I-we need to go wipe down some tables. Would you like anything to drink or eat?"

_"Um...maybe some lemonade?" _The two waitresses paled even further. Lemonade wasn't on their menu. This cafe was quite traditional and centered all around coffee, hot beverages and cakes. Anyhow, lemonade has never been served at this cafe before, besides, neither of them have ever made lemonade before.

But Hibari Kyoya's girlfriend could not be denied, right? Who knew what the demon would do to them if they dared deny his girlfriend her drink? They scrambled to the back of the store, completely oblivious to the girl's curious stares. Logging onto the computer, they quickly searched up a simple way to make lemonade, noting down the ingredients.

"Hey, Miki, you go get the lemon and syrup from the supermarket next door..."

They were interrupted by a small knock on the counter. Miki glanced up, startled. It was the small girl. She smiled at them and saved the small sheet of paper towards them. She took it and glanced down onto the request.

"_If you don't have lemonade, then it's okay! Sorry, I didn't read the menu, and I've never been to this shop before. Can I please have a cup of hot chocolate then?" _

"Well, aren't you a sweetie!" One of them giggled, and the tense atmosphere in the store lifted immediately. The women set about making the best cup of hot chocolate they could ever make, completely overdoing the cream and cocoa powder on top. Kumiko's eyes widened in delight when they handed her a large cup of the steaming beverage, the top foamy white and sprinkled with cocoa powder in the shape of a heart.

"Enjoy your drink.." They chorused, watching as Kumiko tried to bow to them but almost ended up spilling her drink. She opted to nod at them instead, shakily carrying the drink back to her seat with both hands. Plopping down, she left the hot chocolate on the table and pulled out her phone.

5:12. _He's still not here? Well, maybe he has prefect duties or something like that. Should I wait for him?_

The chocolate smell wafted in front of her teasingly, and she couldn't help but sniff in the direction of her drink. _Will Hibari-san even like hot chocolate? Does he like sweet things? Maybe I should wait for him and ask then._

5:43. Kumiko swung her legs lazily, staring as the foam slowly broke into smaller pieces and floated into the brown of the chocolate. The previously perfect heart shape cracked into two, then three, and then four. It too disappeared into the murky depths of the drink. She sighed and stirred the beverage slowly, forcing the white cream to disappear completely. The two waitresses observed her curiously from behind the counter. Why isn't she drinking yet? They cast anxious glances towards the door. Is she waiting for Hibari to come?

6:14. She was hugging her knees now. Her eyes flickered anxiously to the phone on the table, waiting for the beep that signified the arrival of new messages. He wouldn't have stood her up, would he? She didn't think Hibari-san was that kind of person. Maybe she's just overthinking things.

6:32. Kumiko leant against the window, breathing slowly and watching the condensation of her breath fog up the clear window. It blurred the buildings outside, mixing everything into an unclear gray. The only things that shone through were small pinpoints of light from surrounding buildings.

7:23. Her legs were numb now, and she felt cold. It was March, and yet the weather stayed stubbornly cold and wet. To Kumiko, it didn't feel like spring at all. It felt like winter had just started. The abandoned hot chocolate sat in front of her, not a ripple running across it's smooth brown surface. She breathed a larger patch onto the window and slowly curved her fingertip through the condensation before lazily grabbing a pen and repeating the message on a piece of napkin.

_Hibari-san, where are you?_

* * *

><p>"Mukuro-sama.." Chrome whispered into the phone. Mukuro's chuckles rolled out of the other end, wrapping around her ear. Her heart beat faster at his voice, and her hands shook. But she managed to hold onto the phone.<p>

"Kufufu...what is it, my dear Nagi?"

"She's not home yet, Mukuro-sama."

"Oya? Did you tell her that he didn't want to meet her today as well? She may be still waiting for him at the cafe."

"O-oh...I forgot, Mukuro-sama! I'm so sorry..."

"It's alright." Mukuro sounded calmer than he felt. He'd never forgive himself if something happened to the girl. It was quite late, and considering the bad luck she's had before, it might not be too preposterous to assume that she might've been attacked. What with the attention she's been gaining as Hibari Kyoya's girlfriend, she may have been targeted by one of his enemies.

_As I thought. The skylark will not be suitable to protect her. _

"Mukuro-sama?" Chrome's voice sounded hesitant, as if he would shout at her at any second. He coughed slightly at the notion. He'd never raise his voice against the girl, and didn't plan to do so anytime soon. He found himself angered at her weaknesses. Kumiko had never been so dependent and scared of him as Chrome was. Why is it that Chrome was so weak again?

"It's alright. I'll fetch her myself."

"But Mukuro-sama..."

He cut off her call. Truth be told, Mukuro was seething. He would make sure to give Chrome a good tongue lashing once he got home. She knew how much Kumiko mattered to him.

* * *

><p>8:57. The waitresses stood over the sleeping girl, talking in hushed whispers.<p>

"He didn't show up? That's horrible..."

"Maybe he was busy disciplining some other people."

"That's probably it."

"What should we do?"

"Let's give her a blanket."

"Well, we don't have one! Why would we have a blanket in the coffee shop?"

Kumiko shifted in her sleep and the two jittery women jumped immediately. A suave voice suddenly drifted from behind them. "Kufufu...if you would kindly excuse me..."

One of them 'eep'ed in fright. Mukuro chuckled as the taller of the two pressed a hand to her chest. "You scared us, young man!"

"My humblest apologies." Mukuro murmured, bowing to the both of them and making them erupt in soft giggles. "My, aren't you polite! Would you like a drink?" Mukuro refused politely, and gently pushed past them to reach the sleeping brunette. Her back was against the glass, her knees pulled to her chest. Her head dipped cutely to rest on her knees.

Mukuro wrapped an arm around her back and slipped one under her legs, lifting her effortlessly off the ground. He pulled her closer to his chest and shifted slightly to ensure her comfort and his stability. The two waitresses gasped.

"Hey, where are you going with Hibari-san's girlfriend?"

Mukuro's eyes hardened at their words. _Hibari-san's girlfriend? _"I'm bringing her back home."

"W-what? So she lives with y-you? Does Hibari-san know of this?"

At this, Mukuro chose to ignore their questions and turned away with a steely gaze. Suddenly, the girl in his arms shifted.

_Hibari-san? _Kumiko wrapped her arms lazily around his neck, tucking her head closer to his chest and inhaling his scent. _That doesn't smell like Hibari-san..._Her eyes blinked open and she glanced up to see the pair of heterochromatic eyes staring back at her. "Awake?" Mukuro muttered into her ear softly.

If she wasn't before, she was now. With a startled cry, she leapt out of his arms and fell onto the sofa with a loud 'Thud'. Mukuro winced for her and pulled her upright quickly, rubbing the back of her head. "Did that hurt? Sorry if I startled you..." The apologetic words were pulled out of his mouth, and Mukuro stopped himself from saying anymore. It felt weird, apologizing. All his life, he'd never apologized to anyone, and here he was, saying sorry to a small girl. _Hibari-san's girlfriend...skylark's girlfriend...Koizumi...Kumiko?_

Kumiko froze at his touch and started to back away slowly. Mukuro's eyes turned to her, sorrow evident in his orbs. She stopped, unused to seeing such a weak side of Mukuro. Mukuro advanced towards her, and she returned to tripping over her own feet and stumbling backwards. Mukuro caught her with a soft tug on her wrist, and she was facing him again.

"Are you scared of me?"

She shook her head hurriedly. She wasn't scared of him. In fact, she could loosely call him a friend of hers. But that didn't testify as to why he was acting the way he is right now. Her eyes darted to the door, hoping that Hibari wouldn't come in now. She spent all afternoon waiting for him, but now she wished desperately that he wouldn't bear witness to this event. She wasn't even in control. Her heart thudded as Mukuro braced her against the glass, easily towering over her.

"H-Hey! What are you doing with Hibari-san's girlfriend!" One of the waitresses bravely cut in for her again, and Mukuro turned his head back to look at her. His eyes widened in shock as he realized what he looked like.

Hurriedly pulling away from the girl, he tried not to feel hurt as she rubbed her wrist gently as if trying to scrub off his touch. Her eyes searched his face sweepingly, with a rather worried expression on her face. Her hand lifted and pressed itself against his forehead. "Do you have a fever?" Her eyes seemed to ask, searching for an answer from his lips. He leaned into the touch unconsciously, making her wince and pull back. He yearned for her touch, he realized. He'd never felt something quite so gentle before, and now that he'd a taste of what her hands felt like, he wanted to feel it again. It was the same with her lips. He hungrily focused his gaze on her small lips.

"W-would you like me to r-reheat the chocolate up for you...?" The other waitress timidly tugged on Kumiko's sleeve, drawing the girl's attention away. As far as the waitress was concerned, she was saving Hibari Kyoya's girlfriend from being potentially molested. Kumiko nodded and the waitress quickly brought the now cold cup away, only to trot back a few minutes later with a steaming cup balanced carefully. She placed it down onto the table.

Kumiko's eyes followed the chocolate. The sweets were definitely her weakness. She didn't know why, but she'd loved chocolate ever since she was small. There was something in her memories associated with the sweet taste of chocolate. It was probably a fragmented memory of her mother, gently giving her a taste of candy. Or maybe it was her best friend...but try as she might, she couldn't remember his face. Someone in her past had given her chocolate, and she'd immediately latched onto the substance.

Mukuro's eyes followed Kumiko's movements, his mouth quirked into a small smile of amusement. Honestly, the girl was so cute sometimes. She looked innocent, her eyes wide with joy at the sight of her favorite treat. Mukuro's lips parted to let out a chuckle of amusement upon seeing the foam with the heart on top.

Kumiko bent down, daintiliy sipping the top of the cup. Upon hearing Mukuro's soft chuckles, she stopped immediately and straightened again, blushing with embarrassment.

"No, no. Don't mind me. Go on, enjoy your drink. I'll just wait right here." Mukuro leant against the window, staring out into the darkness. His eyes caught a small glimmer of movement and narrowed mischeviously. Now was the time, if there ever was one, to mark Koizumi Kumiko as his.

Kumiko had just finished her second sip of the drink and was blissfully enjoying the smooth taste of chocolate rolling down her throat. Her tongue darted out to lick the cream of her lips and she eyed the cup again, hoping to get another taste. Before she could raise the cup to her mouth once more, she found that the cup had disappeared. Her arms were suddenly pinned by her sides, and she found herself lying uncomfortably on the long bench beneath Mukuro. Her eyes widened and she started feebly struggling. _What are you doing, Mukuro?_

"Are you scared of me?" Mukuro breathed once more, leaning in. His eyes showed nothing but softness now, and Kumiko couldn't do anything but shake her head, even though her heart was beating a mile a second with the way Mukuro was almost straddling her.

"Don't be..." He whispered, in a voice so broken that her heart ached unexpectedly. Kumiko was shocked to hear him speak like this. Why?

Her thoughts flew out the window as Mukuro leant down, closing the distance between them. She finally realized what a situation she was in and she kicked harder in an attempt to get Mukuro off her. Mukuro trapped her attempts with one leg, leaning closer. "I'm so sorry..." he murmured. He didn't know what he was apologizing for. He was doing this for himself, isn't he? He wasn't supposed to care about the others, right?

It was then that Mukuro had finally realized the reason why he felt different around her. His heart lingered with slight guilt every time he sees her. There could only be one reason why.

_Why did you leave me, Kumiko?_

His parallel world's self has too strong of a will to protect her, too much guilt to let her go, too many regrets to leave her be.

And with that thought in mind, he finally closed the distance to her lips.

* * *

><p>3:47. Hibari sat in the disciplinary committee office room for what seemed like forever, doing nothing but twirling his pen. Kusakabe had poked his head in a few times to check on him, but Hibari always responded with an absentminded "Leave." Poor Kusakabe, with no other choice but to obey, found himself patrolling the school the umpteenth time as he tried to find something to do other than annoy the chairman.<p>

It was evident that Hibari was in a bad mood. He'd left his phone on the desk, untouched, and had ignored Hibird for most of the day, especially when Hibird had chirped the Namimori anthem in an attempt to cheer him up.

4:58. The after school activity students were now trailing out the gates. Hibari's eyes followed the form of one particular girl as she skipped across the courtyard, her eyes bright with enthusiasm. He felt disgusted at himself and at Mukuro. Why would she be so excited to see him anyway? As far as he knew, Mukuro spent less time with her than he did. He just didn't understand. The irritation pumped through his mind and flared in the form of purple flames on his Vongola Ring. Hibari passed his finger through his flame, watching as the purple curled around the skin gracefully. It didn't burn.

5:37. Hibari was patrolling around the school himself, letting off some steam. Some unfortunate third years were caught cornering a girl and they were beaten brutally. Hibari watched as the victim ran off screaming and crying her lungs out. _Loud. Weak. _So unlike his Kumiko, who was forced to suffer in silence. He wasn't sure that even one month after the Nakamura incident she would be healed mentally.

7:49. Hibari stalked around Namimori, jacket fluttering lopsidedly to the right. He pushed his hair from his eyes with one hand and surveyed the street before him. A pang of disappointment hit him once more as he realized this was the very street that he wanted to meet his herbivore on. Shaking his head, he turned away.

8:48. His feet had unknowingly carried him back here. Either that, or his sense of uncompleted work brought him back. Or maybe it was disappointment. Why didn't she want to meet him again? He stared down the street at the glowing shop lights. The light for the little cafe was still bright, while the pet shop next door was already dimming it's lights, preparing to pack away and close for the night. His sharp ears caught the murmurs from apartment buildings all around him, and he smiled slightly as he heard Hibird titter and land on his shoulder. Raising one hand to tap the small bird on the head, Hibari Kyoya walked forwards and started to finish off his patrol.

* * *

><p>She tastes good. Mukuro pulled her upwards and was now holding her closer, his tongue licking at her bottom lip. She clenched her mouth close tightly and refused his tongue entrance, but Mukuro was undeterred. His hand suddenly moved downwards to stroke her thigh, and she gasped in surprise at his cold touch. Taking his opportunity, he quickly darted his tongue inside her mouth. He tasted chocolate. She whimpered and tried to pull away, but he held her closer.<p>

His hands supported her back and he chuckled as she squirmed. He wanted her closer, but that was impossible with the way she was resisting. Kumiko gasped once more as Mukuro stroked the back of her head, tangling his hands into her hair and angling his head so that he could deepen the kiss. Her hands gripped his shoulders tightly, but her struggles were becoming weaker and weaker. Mukuro broke off the kiss and trailed his lips up to her cheeks before making his slow way down her jawline. His tongue tasted her smooth skin seductively, tickling her senses. He finished off with a small bite on her collarbone, mirroring the one that Hibari had given her the day before. Mukuro dipped his head into the crook of her neck and inhaled, taking in her scent. So familiar, yet foreign to him at the same time. He felt a bit cheated. This wasn't his own feelings that he was acting on, after all. It was the residue feelings of his older, parallel world self. But he couldn't help it anyway. He found that he himself was getting more and more entranced with this small girl. After all, if she wasn't so special, why would Hibari Kyoya even bother with the likes of her? There must be something about her...

Mukuro sighed contentedly, drawing in her sweet scent again. She even smelt like chocolate. Kumiko had stiffened with shock, her hands still pushing, albeit weakly. His touches were so familiar. Where did she feel this way before?

_When I met the...gentle...Hibari?_

She remembered, that one dream in the hospital when Hibari fought another Hibari. This was the same way he kissed her. If Mukuro could manipulate illusions, then does that mean that Mukuro was the one who had made Hibari kiss her so sweetly?

The glass shattered behind them. Kumiko screamed in surprise and cowered with her hands over her eyes. Mukuro immediately threw her onto the sofa, crouching over her to protect her from the shards. The two waitresses, taken to watching the scene with helpless eyes, were now whimpering and scrambling for the door, sprinting out into the night and away from the commotion in the cafe.

"Rokudo Mukuro and Koizumi Kumiko." Kumiko would know that monotone voice from anywhere. It was her beloved Hibari Kyoya. But right now, he sounded far from pleased. Mukuro was roughly pulled off her and slammed into the broken window. Mukuro winced and Hibari smirked, relishing in the sight of glass shards digging into his opponent's smooth skin. "What are you doing here?"

"Kufufufu. I should ask you. I didn't know you were going to show up."

Hibari snarled and brought his tonfa crashing into Mukuro's shoulder. Kumiko gasped in fear and he sent her a cold look of pure fury. Kumiko shrank back, but he didn't care that she was afraid. All he wanted to do was to discipline Mukuro. He wanted to bite both of them to death. Who said they could have a secret affair behind his back? Who said Kumiko could run off with Mukuro, his worse enemy? Who said Mukuro could steal his girlfriend away from him?

Slamming his other tonfa into Mukuro's stomach, he pushed and the illusionist was shoved out the window. Mukuro fell the short distance into the ceramic flower pots that decorated the windowsill, landing on his back painfully.

Hibari turned to face the small brown haired girl. His eyes portrayed deep anger at her actions, but in those icy pupils, there was a small speck of hurt. Kumiko reached out for his hand but he slapped her hand away roughly. With a snarl, he picked up his tonfa and drove it into her throat, pushing her down onto the sofa roughly. She struggled and gasped in pain, her right hand clawing at her throat. Hibari tightened his grip and pushed further, his heart beating painfully against his rib cage. He was so angry, he could kill. Anger drove him to attack mindlessly. He knew that he would regret his actions later, but he had to let out his pent up frustrations. He was so angry, so betrayed, so hurt, so confused...Kumiko's eyes bulged and tears spilled as the pain in her throat increased.

"S-stop...STOP, CLOUD-MAN!" Hibari didn't loosen his hold but turned his head around to pin the new arrival with a glare. Chrome stood there with her eye wide, staring at the position Hibari was in. Kumiko wrapped her hands around his wrist and tried to push him away. Hibari pulled his tonfa back and then mindlessly slammed it into the side of her head. Kumiko sat, dazed, with her head turned to the side, the red mark already forming. Tears dripped from her eyes. Her hands fell limply to her side. _I don't understand...why...Hibari-san?_

"I sent the message! Cloud-man, it's not her fault!" Hibari faltered and pulled the tonfa away. Confusion flashed across his face for a second before it was replaced with his usual, apathetic look.

"Explain, herbivore."

He tried not to feel too guilty as Kumiko slowly started to gulp for air, her hands gingerly massaging her neck. Her eyes flicked to Hibari's face and then turned away before she buried her face in her hands and started sobbing painfully.

"Oya, oya. Don't cry..." Mukuro materialized beside her. He felt terribly guilty. It was all his fault, Kumiko had gotten hurt like this. And it was the skylark that had hurt her. Mukuro himself had manipulated both of them up to the point where Kumiko got hurt by her own lover...Mukuro wrapped his arms around the trembling girl, but she pushed him away and got up, running out of the store. Both males stared at her retreating figure, and Mukuro got up to follow her, but was pinned to the sofa with a tonfa.

"Cloud-man, I sent the text message." Chrome took a deep breath. Hibari straightened and glared at her. Chrome shivered, but clutched the trident in her hands closer to her chest and exhaled slowly.

"Why?" Hibari's voice was dangerously soft.

"I...I...I..."

"Kufufu...I wanted some time alone with her. I wanted to see what it felt like to kiss her." Mukuro muttered bluntly, immediately swiping the tonfa away and sitting up, rubbing his back. Mukuro found no need to hide his obvious attraction towards Kumiko from the head prefect anymore. He already made his decision. He put on an amused smile, but his eyes were narrowed. The two enemies faced each other off, Hibari radiating fury.

"You didn't have to hurt her." Mukuro stated, readying a trident of his own. Hibari hissed and brought up both of his tonfas. Mukuro swung his trident, but the butt of his weapon accidentally scraped across the table, flinging the unfinished cup of hot chocolate off the wooden surface. The cup smashed on the ground, spreading sweet-smelling liquid over the tiled floors. Small triangles of glass joined bigger shards from the window. A napkin fluttered slowly down, and Hibari absentmindedly reached out his hand to catch it.

_Where are you, Hibari-san? _It said.

* * *

><p>"Open up."<p>

Mukuro pounded on the door, Chrome standing behind him and looking anxious. Guilt was written all over her face. Mukuro didn't let it show, but he could certainly relate to her feelings. He clenched his hand tighter. He almost wished that Hibari had given him a beating to remember. It was his fault Kumiko got hurt.

Said skylark was leaning against the wall next to the door, trying to look nonchalant about everything. Even he was marked with remorse, shown with the way his eyes stayed on the door handle, willing it to turn. He could still remember the feeling of choking her against the sofa, of her desperation and fear when she tried to fight back but he didn't. He hit her. He'd actually hit her across the face.

The door swung open suddenly, revealing a disheveled Kumiko. Her eyes were bloodshot from crying, and tear tracks ran down her face. One side of her face was swollen and bruises were forming on her neck. She saw that it was Mukuro and her face darkened immediately. Bringing her hand back, she whipped it forward and slapped him across the face. Silence fell over the room.

"Kufufu...I deserved that."

She nodded and tried to close the door. Mukuro had already turned away, Chrome anxiously clinging to his arm. A hand shot out and gripped the door, holding it open. Hibari stepped into view. Kumiko's expression turned terrified, and Hibari felt a spear of pain strike his heart. She let out a strangled sob and pried his hand off the door, pushing him away and slamming it in his face.

* * *

><p>Hibari slumped outside her room. He refused to leave, choosing to spend the night there. Chrome had tried to offer him food, but he refused and turned her away harshly. He had seen her caring look for him as well as the way she blushed whenever she caught his gaze and put the two together. That vessel had a crush on him. He wouldn't have felt so disgusted at that revelation if it weren't for the fact that she had tried to sabotage his relationship. Mukuro had come over and tried to join him, but Hibari had immediately thrown a tonfa at him. Nonetheless, the illusionist wasn't deterred in any way. Mukuro had silently sat on the other side of the door, his back pressed against the wall and his eyes turned towards his hands.<p>

Chrome had helplessly looked between the two of them and then scurried off into her own room, gently closing the door. Her heart ached, but they didn't respond to any of her prompting. Their food was left untouched on the kitchen table. She wondered what they felt for Kumiko that they couldn't feel for her. Jealously laced through her heart again, but she couldn't do anything now. She decided to take a shower and cool down.

* * *

><p>Kumiko huddled under her blankets, staring at the emerald green eyes of her black cat. Kuro blinked back at her and meowed softly, rubbing it's face along her hand gently. She sighed and stroked her hand along the cat's lithe body, rubbing the cat's muscles and softly scratching behind it's ears. The cat let out a rusty purr and nuzzled against her body further, making her choke out sobs. In the end, it was her cat who truly understood her and comforted her. How ironic. She couldn't even understand what Kuro was trying to say, and yet here she was, finding comfort in his presence.<p>

"Mrrow?" She hugged Kuro and buried her head inside his fur, muffling her cries. She hated this weak feeling, but she couldn't help it. Her heart felt genuinely broken. She had spent the whole day waiting at the cafe for Hibari, had been kissed against her will by Mukuro, and then finally had Hibari hit her because he thought she was cheating on him. She would've reacted more calmly, but the fact that Hibari was capable of such hasty anger and violent actions scared her.

Her neck twinged with the memory of his tonfa pressing against it, and she smiled softly at the irony. She still remembered the days when she first met him, when he had shoved her against the wall. But then, he had no intention to kill, unlike when he'd confronted her in the cafe. Her neck twinged again, and she started, pressing a hand to her flesh. Two little holes met her touch, and she gasped, her muscles remembering a long forgotten feeling of pain.

_Nakamura sank his fangs into her neck. She didn't have the strength to fight him anymore. Her limbs dangled limply and her head lolled backwards, unintentionally giving him more access to her veins. _

_Just a sip, he had promised himself. _

_But her blood tasted so sweet. He took a sip, and then another, and then another. His pupils dilated with pleasure as the blood hit his stomach. _

* * *

><p>Hibari leant against the wall, eyes dull. His ears strained to hear the sound of her muffled sobs, and his heart thudded with every choked sob she let out. He wanted to go in there and hold her against him, letting her cry her tears out on his shoulders, but he knew that slamming down the door would only make her more scared of him.<p>

He closed his eyes slowly.

"Sleepy?" Hibari turned to slit his eyes open at Rokudo Mukuro and glare at said illusionist. Mukuro was chuckling softly, but his actions did not match up to his expression. His expression was full of remorse. A hand shaped mark was slowly forming across his cheek and he occasionally raised his finger to stroke the reddened skin softly as if trying to remember her touch, even if it was a painful one.

Hibari stared down at his own hands. He imagined that he could see the red stained across it. Of countless people that he'd beaten until they were hanging on to life by a mere thread. He could smell the metallic tang as his tonfas clashed with skin to create great sprays of crimson liquid.

_"You're a monster, just like me." _

_I'm no monster...am I?_

"I think I owe you an apology." Mukuro whispered, staring fixedly at the point just above Hibari's head. Hibari shot him a blank look. He wasn't used to his arch enemy apologizing to him, even though he knew that Mukuro should apologize. Hibari had been more of a person to resolve everything with violence and actions rather than words. He supposed that was why Kumiko was hurt today. He stared at his hands. He'd never loathed himself before. This was a new feeling.

"Do you accept my apology?" Mukuro murmured, finally meeting his eyes with his own heterochromatic orbs. Hibari nodded once, briskly, as if reluctant to answer his question. This was enough for Mukuro, however. He simply smiled and leaned back, tilting his head to look up at the ceiling.

"It was my fault, but it wasn't my fault at the same time." Mukuro started. Hibari pointedly turned his head away and tried to ignore him, but Mukuro seemed to want to tell him something for some reason. Frankly, Hibari didn't really care. All he wanted was to have his his Kumiko in his arms again, snuggled against his chest. He missed the warm silence they would sit in, and he missed quietly murmuring to her in the disciplinary committee office during lunch and break. Mukuro's eyes flitted to the apathetic prefect and back to the ceiling as he continued his explanation.

"Do you know of our older selves? The ones from the parallel worlds?" Hibari really didn't want to converse with his worse enemy, but since he had nothing better to do, he answered with a quick nod.

"It's my fault and it's not my fault," Mukuro insisted. "It's all about control. But I wasn't able to do so properly. I was so filled with emotions from my parallel world self..." Mukuro trailed off slowly. Hibari sent him a sceptical look, and Mukuro merely sighed. Hibari was quite surprised, to be honest. He'd never thought Rokudo Mukuro of all people would be confessing something like this to him. Confessing his troubles. His weakness. And his weakness just so happened to be the same as his weakness is himself. What irony.

"Oya, don't think that I'm letting you have her so easily, though." Mukuro continued, his face twisting back into it's usual, twisted smirk. "I'm going to win her heart over, fair and square. Kufufu...we are natural competitors after all. It's only right that we fight over everything, even a girl."

Hibari scoffed. "I won't lose to you, degenerate."

"We'll see about that."

Footsteps suddenly echoed to the right of Mukuro, and the illusionist turned his head to look for the source of the sound.

* * *

><p><em>Mukuro looked at the small plate that hung just above the doorbell. Dokuro was printed on it in neat black letters.<em>

_"Hurry up." Hibari hissed from behind him. Mukuro chuckled and tapped the door twice, giving Hibari a smirk of success as the door swung open silently. They crept in slowly, wary of making any sounds. Their younger selves should not be here right now, considering this was Chrome's apartment. Mukuro had recently found out from a pet shop owner not too far from here that Koizumi Kumiko had been transferred to this apartment after a big fight happened in hers. He wondered what had happened. _

_Hibari elbowed past him roughly, surveying the room with cool eyes. They froze as they saw Chrome exit the bathroom, her hair wrapped in a towel. She looked frustrated, for some reason. Mukuro narrowed his eyes at this, but chose not to make any comments. _

_Hibari wandered through the living room, skirting past sofas and dining tables. Mukuro followed him closely. They were both eager to see Kumiko again, and wondered what she would think when they showed up in her room for a surprise visit. _  
><em>A voice drifted out of the hallway and Mukuro froze, disappointment marring his previous mask of calmness. "It's only right that we fight over everything, even a girl." A young male was saying. Mukuro froze, realizing that the voice belonged to himself. Hibari hissed, noting their topic of discussion immediately. It seems that they've stumbled upon a time in this timeline where Mukuro and Hibari declare their war for the girl's heart. He scoffed. <em>

_"I won't lose to you, degenerate." He could practically mouth the words just as it came drifting down the hallway. He had said the same thing to the Rokudo Mukuro of his timeline. No more, no less. He had fought him and won her heart fair and square. Of course, he expected his younger self to do the same. _

_Mukuro crept forward lightly on the balls of his feet, careful not to make any floorboards creak. Fortunately for him and Hibari, they were both well known guardians and assassins of the famous Vongola Famiglia, and therefore had no trouble whatsoever moving across wooden floorboards without making any noise. _

_Mukuro finally reached the side of his younger counterpart. Younger Mukuro was in the act of turning around to see who it was when his head was suddenly taken hold of and held in place. He frowned. _  
><em><br>"Oya, oya? Who is that?" The trident materialized in his hand immediately. _

_"Kufufu..don't be so troublesome. I'm only here to pay Kumiko a visit." _

_Younger Hibari's eyes narrowed as he saw the older version of his arch enemy holding down Mukuro's head. "What do you want?" He hissed. _

_"Don't lose to him." Another voice sounded, and Hibari found himself held in a similar hold. He recognized the voice to be his own, and started struggling furiously. _

_"As long as you don't look into the eyes of your counterpart, it should be okay to stay." Older Mukuro informed. _

_"Fine." Hibari kept a strong hold on his younger self's head, knowing that he would most likely struggle more once his grip was loosened. "We'll sit back to back."  
><em>  
><em>"I don't take orders from anyone. I'll bite you to death." Younger Hibari snarled. Hibari's eyes flashed amusement for a second.<em>

_"I'm not your enemy here." _

_"Kufufufu~" Both Mukuros chuckled simultaneously as they got into the back to back position. Hibari sighed and shoved his younger counterpart aside, sitting back to back with him as well. _

* * *

><p>"Why did you kill her?" Hibari said, directing it at his older self. Older Hibari tilted his face upwards and sighed ever so softly. His shoulders tensed.<p>

"I'm not telling you yet. You shouldn't know. So you wouldn't make the same mistake." He murmured softly in reply. Hibari snarled. "If I don't know the mistake, how can I prevent myself from making it?"

"You've probably already made one." Mukuro inputted softly, looking as the door handle creaked. Older Mukuro straightened and stood up, looking carefully away from his younger self's eyes. Older Hibari did the same, fixing his gaze on the door. Light pooled into the hallway, silhouetting the small figure of the brown haired girl. Her face was downcast, and her body was shaking slightly. She looked up. Her face looked red and feverish and her eyes were dull. "Oya, she was waiting in the cafe for quite a few hours. Maybe she caught a cold."

Older Hibari stood and gripped her face in his hand. She winced when his fingers brushed her bruise.

"Who did this to you?" He hissed upon seeing the varying shades of blue, black and red that marred her face. Kumiko tried to pull away, and so he loosened his grip a bit.

"Tell me." He demanded. Older Mukuro snapped his fingers and Kumiko gasped.

"H...Hibari-san..." She murmured quietly, soft enough for only older Hibari to hear. To his alarm, she started slowly tilting forward and closing her eyes. Hibari caught her in mid-fall and placed a cool hand on her forehead. "She has a bad fever." He focused his steely glare on his younger self. "Who did this to her?" He gestured to the bruised side of her face as well as the red markings of her neck.

Hibari and Mukuro stayed silent.

* * *

><p>"Here is some medicine for her fever. It's quite high but the symptoms are normal. She should just stay at home and rest for a few days. Make sure she drinks plenty of water and do not give her any overly flavored foods or she might get an upset stomach. Here is some ointment used for bruises. It contains painkiller, so she won't feel any pain applying it." The doctor passed over a familiar bottle to Hibari. It was the same one that Koizumi Kumiko gave him on the roof that day when he decided to get answers from her. He took the bottle.<p>

Older Hibari glared at the doctor. "What kind of wound is this?" Judging by the shape and the color of the mark, Hibari could tell what it was. It was all too familiar to the other blows that he'd dealt countless people in the past.

"U..Uhm...forgive me if I've assumed wrong, but that looks a lot like tonfa marks..."

Before the doctor was even finished with his words, older Hibari was already dragging his younger self out of the door. Hibari didn't try to struggle. It was futile against the strength of his older self anyway. He suddenly got struck down with a tonfa, but then again, it wasn't that sudden to him. He was expecting it. Deja vu all over again, he thought bitterly. At least his nose wasn't broken this time, though the amount of pain administered is pretty much the same. He could tell that his older self was furious with him. He stood up again, but didn't even try to retaliate.

"Never. Never ever lay a hand on her like that." Older Hibari seethed with anger, glaring into younger Hibari's eyes. His body was freezing up again, unconsciously reminding him of his strict time limit.

"I'm leaving." He snarled, turning on his heel and disappearing into the gloom of the dark hospital corridor.

* * *

><p>"I apologize for forcing my emotions on you. It was unfair of me to do so." Older Mukuro smirked, feeling slightly strange, staring into a pair of identical heterochromatic eyes. His muscles tensed painfully. 3 minutes, he reminded himself. He had three minutes left before Time Lapse took everyone's lives.<p>

"Don't apologize to me. Apologize to Koizumi Kumiko." His younger self replied immediately. Truth be told, Mukuro didn't really mind having an unnatural attraction for the girl. Now that he had worked out what influence the feelings were from, he could mold it into his own feelings and chase after her in earnest. "Now leave."

"Kufufufu. One more thing. There's something that only you can give her, but Hibari Kyoya cannot. Use it."

Mukuro stilled and blinked back at his older self. "I don't suppose you mean her voice?"

"Kufufufu, worked it out already, have you? As expected of me, after all. It's the same concept as providing for Chrome's organs. Except you have to focus it in her voice box."

A smile tugged at the edges of Mukuro's face. "That gives me an advantage over Skylark."

"Kufufu..exactly..." Older Mukuro's voice faded away as he disappeared into the mist. Mukuro stretched and turned towards the hospital room door once more. Catching sight of a confused looking little brunette, he couldn't help but smile. There is no way he's going to lose to Hibari Kyoya in anything.

* * *

><p>Kumiko stared at the medicine in her palm. The doctor passed over a cup of water and she took it gratefully. <em>That's not it. My fever isn't a normal cold. It just suddenly...will this medicine even help? Or will it get worse? <em>She had a hunch the medicine will only worsen her condition, but everyone was staring at her expectantly. Shaking her head, she took a sip of the water and spilled the pills into her mouth. Swallowing, she swayed as a bout of sleepiness hit her immediately. She really hated taking medicine. She hated having to eat things to make her healthy artificially. She would rather depend on her body to heal itself.

"Feeling better?" Mukuro inquired. She turned to him, blinking heavily in attempt to stay awake. Her eyes followed the red mark on his face and she felt a twinge of shame shoot through her. Maybe she shouldn't have hit him.

"Kufufufu. I'm alright. You should be worrying about yourself." Mukuro moved to pick her up, but she stumbled backwards. "Oya, are you sure you can walk by yourself?"

"Get out of my way, Rokudo Mukuro." Kumiko flinched as Hibari came into view, roughly shoving Mukuro to the side. Mukuro stumbled and then chuckled. "Skylark, I highly doubt she would want you to touch her right now. Not after...that." He gestured vaguely to her face, and Kumiko turned to survey the damage in the mirror.

"Don't worry, Kumiko-chan~ You look beautiful as usual." Wheels scraped across the floor as an unexpected visitor entered the room. Hibari immediately took on a defensive stance.

"No need to be so protective, Hibari Kyoya. It's not like I can do anything like this, can I?"

"Komatsu Tsubaki. Oya, I didn't think you survived that fight. Nakamura has strong kicks."

Komatsu flipped her hair arrogantly with one hand. Her other hand remained motionless, heavily casted, bandaged and strapped to the wheelchair arm. "No thanks to Nakamura, that bastard. It's that little, weak looking girl over there who broke my spine. Surprising, isn't it, Koizumi Kumiko-chan?"

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><p>AN: ANOTHER EARLY UPDATE! I got a lot of reviews, and I'm extremely happy. Thank you, everyone who reviewed since my previous update! As you can see, I'm trying to balance out the fluff a bit more, and I hope it's working.

Thank you to: **kuroitsubasa24, starish-sky, moka-chin, Rotten Heresy and Chocolate, noface, mirageseason132, AppleDragon, vongola-girl, Drochtuarach Deabhal Djowl and Claire Kingsleigh. **Thanks for sharing your thoughts with me, and thank you for your incredibly interesting and nice responses! I hope you continue to like this story! As always, read and review!


	22. Senbazuru

Disclaimer: I don't own Katekyo Hitman Reborn!  
>Rating: T<p>

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><p>Senbazuru<p>

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><p><em>Hibari padded quietly over the tatami mats in his room. His footfalls made no noise. The room was silent, except for the occasional click and rush of the bamboo fountain depositing its recently filled load. <em>

_That's how he feels. His heart. Every time he sees Kumiko, it's filled. Again, and again, and again, it's filled with emotions he thought he would never feel again. And when he returns to his own timeline, when he sits alone on his futon and imagines where she would curl up beside him, when he sees their picture sitting on his bedside table, her smiling face and his carefully apathetic expression jarringly juxtaposed against each other, he is empty once more. Devoid of all emotion. Empty. _

_"Why did you kill her?" _

_Such an innocent question. Such a naïve attitude. Hibari Kyoya, well his younger self anyway, cannot predict the unpredictable after all. He hasn't mastered the art of time travel yet. Stupid. Stupid, naive boy. _

_It had sent a spike of agony through his heart. "Why did you kill her?" He has his reasons. He didn't need to share it with anyone else. It was because she became his weakness. It was because she was hindering his full ability in painful brawls, so common in the life of a Mafioso. It was because he loved her too much. It was because he couldn't protect her properly. It was because something happened that he didn't know of, and then it spiraled out of control. _

* * *

><p><em>"Shamal. What's her condition?"<em>

_"Tch. It's complicated. There's something wrong with her, but I really can't figure it out. It's not in my 333 diseases anyway, so it can't be cancelled out like the Sakurakura disease was." _

_He would've picked up his metal weapons and smashed it into his skull for the mere mention of that accursed disease, if it weren't for the fact that his Kumiko was currently staring up at him, blinking wordlessly. Her mouth opened._

_"Kyoya?" Her voice was soft. Hibari loved it when she called his name. She sounded so innocent. But right now, he hated the way her voice trailed off. The way she drew out the 'ya' in his name. The way she sounded like she was fading. He resisted the urge to grab onto her and keep her with him. He was losing her. And he didn't know why._

_"Hn." _

_"What happened?" _

_He didn't know. All he knew was Mukuro had had a spat with some former enemy, and poor Kumiko got caught in between unwillingly. Mukuro fought something called 'Blood Demon'. Someone called Nakamura. Something had bit her and transmitted a disease, a curse of some kind. Something that even the legendary Shamal couldn't heal. But Hibari didn't know what. Only Mukuro knew what. The blue haired man was currently sitting with his head in his hands, weighed over with his actions. _

_"I'm sorry." He muttered, much to the surprise of the occupants in the room. Well, all except Hibari Kyoya. To him, the illusionist was right to apologize, to lose that small shred of dignity both of them held with stubborn conviction, lost when they apologized to someone they hated. Or those they thought weaker than themselves. Just those two words, 'I'm sorry'. But of course, it didn't do her any good. Not when she was already in hospital, lying on the sterile sheets of white, burning with a high fever. _

_Hibari threw his tonfa at Mukuro. The illusionist didn't bother to move, didn't bother to retaliate when the metallic stick slammed into his cheek and pushed his face sideways upon impact. He didn't bother to snidely retort when a red mark formed almost immediately, marring his pale complexion. The only thing he said was:_

_"Kufufu...I deserved that." _

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><p>"I can't believe she had that much strength in her. But then again, that bastard Nakamura was slobbering all over her at one point." Komatsu continued, carefully inspecting her nails on her right hand with her one good left eye. <em>Old habits die hard, <em>she mused, lowering her hand. There's no use in making her nails perfectly shaped anymore. There's no use in letting her beauty shine through anymore. All in all, she was supposed to be dead. But instead, she was here. A puppet with her strings cut. Immobile. Sitting in a wheelchair. Restrained.

Hibari's eyes narrowed at her words. Irritation filled him. "What do you mean, slobbering all over her?"

"Don't tell me...he bit her?" There was a tone of incredulous disbelief prominent in Rokudo Mukuro's sentence. Hibari didn't like this. It sounded as if Mukuro knew something he didn't. It sounded as if Kumiko was marked as someone else's territory before he ever got to her. _He bit her? Nakamura? How dare he. _

But the man was dead. Try as he might, Hibari Kyoya couldn't think of any ways to bite an already dead person to death. It just didn't work this way.

"Yea. He bit her. It was quite disgusting to watch."

Mukuro paled and Hibari sent him a curious glance. Komatsu laughed at his expression, flicking her hair behind her shoulder arrogantly, the dark curtain falling to rest gently along her bandaged back.

"Where?" Hibari glared at Komatsu, daring her to ignore his request.

Someone held his hand. He turned automatically, tonfas out. He didn't let anyone touch him without his permission. The small girl cringed when she saw that he was holding a weapon. Her neck and face still didn't forget the pain that she had been put through. She dropped his hand immediately as if he'd slapped her.

"S..." He hissed, the word clogging in his throat. Was it really necessary for him to apologize to her? When he saw the painfully honest look on her face, her beautiful brown eyes widened ever so slightly, he thought it was necessary. "Sorry." He breathed, pushing his tonfa into his sleeve and out of sight. He took her hand gently and rubbed his thumb over the smoothness of her skin. It felt comforting.

"Where did he bite you?"

She drew his hand up to her neck, wincing when it brushed against the tonfa shaped bruise. He winced inwardly with her. And then suddenly, he felt it. Two small indents in her skin. Just behind and above the mark he had made on her collarbone. A bite mark. _How dare he. _

"Did you find it? Because if you did, my job here is done. I'm not about to watch you two get all touchy-feely with each other. It's disgusting." Komatsu sneered as Hibari turned back to her with tonfas out.

"I don't think you should do that. The little girl behind you looks scared half to death at your weapons." _His weakness. Koizumi Kumiko was becoming his weakness. _Yet, even as he thought that, Hibari was tucking his weapons back into his sleeves. Why did he care about her feelings so much? Why did he care about her so much?

_I don't want to be alone. I don't want to lose her. She loves me. _

_Do I love her?_

"Kufufu...but that doesn't stop me, does it?" Mukuro's trident appeared in his hands and he twirled it casually. Komatsu seemed unfazed. "What, you want to finish off the job? Kill a crippled girl sitting in a wheelchair, unable to defend herself?"

"Kufufufu...don't mind if I do. I'm sure skylark would be backing up my decision anyway."

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><p><em>She was suffering from an incurable disease. As soon as Shamal had told Hibari, Hibari had refused to believe it. But the very fact that Reborn had turned serious when Shamal gave the results of his examination turned the blood in his body cold. She's dying, he realized. Something was wrong with her and she wouldn't be with him for much longer. Even Shamal wasn't sure there was a cure for her. You can't do anything, Shamal had told him. Those very words tore the hole in his heart slightly bigger.<em>

_He pulled her closer against him and let her lean against his chest, his eyes watching her face as she played with his tie lazily. Her hands flicked across his chest quickly, whacking the black fabric back and forth like a cat batting a ball of yarn._

_"Kumiko." _

_"Hmm? What is it, Kyoya?" She looked back up at him, and he let a small smile ghost across his face. _

_"Nothing." His eyes travelled from her lips to the tip of her nose. It was slightly red with the fever still sapping the strength from her body, but she seemed fine otherwise. Her forehead burned under his touch. It was unpleasant, knowing that he couldn't do anything to help her right now. He wanted to make sure that she is alive and well under his care. He didn't want her to suffer anything. He planned on beating the answers out of a certain pineapple head later, but right now he wanted to spend time with her and ensure that she wasn't going to drop dead on his watch. _

_Her expression suddenly twisted, and she buried her face into his neck. "I'm scared, Kyoya. What's happening to me? I have these...dreams. About...about..." _

_"About what?"_

_"I don't want to die yet. I don't want to die yet." She muttered over and over into his neck. Tears spilled out from under her closed eyelids. Hibari froze in shock for a good few minutes as he tried to contemplate the sudden change in his herbivore's actions. What's wrong?_

_"You won't. I'll make sure you don't die anytime soon." He pressed his lips to her cheek, tasting the salty liquid trailing down her skin. She stiffened underneath him, and then responded by quickly drawing her arms around his waist and pulling him closer to her. She shivered as he trailed butterfly kisses down her neck and to her shoulders. She tasted sweet. _

_"Aren't you afraid of getting contaminated by my sickness?" She whispered. _

_"No. If you die, I'll die with you." Hibari was completely honest with her when he declared that. There was no way he wanted to continue living if the only thing he found worthy of his protection is dying. He started when she smiled at this, but her smile quickly melted into a frown. _

_"Why? I don't want you to die." She shoved him away from her with surprising strength and turned her back on him. "I think it best if you stay away from me from now on." _

_He smirked. What a rare display of strength his herbivore was putting on. To tell the truth, he was quite proud of her for even managing to make him move a mere inch. He was quite stubborn when it comes to getting pushed around. Hibari clambered back on top of her, leaning his face incredibly close to hers. If possible, her face got redder at the close proximity. _

_"K-kyo-kyoya!" She stuttered as he pinned her arms above her head. _

_"Are you sure? Still want me to stay away?" _

_"Ye-mmgh!" He muffled her protests with his lips, slowly molding his lips onto hers and making her gasp with his every touch. He switched his hands, leaving his left hand to pin down both her wrists and moving his right hand to stroke her neck briefly and then draw a soft line down her shoulders to her waist. He brushed his cold hand against her stomach and she squirmed and cried out. With the parting of her lips, Hibari was able to deepen the kiss. _

_**Kyoya, Kyoya, Kyoya...**_

_Her mind could only focus around the man she loved as he gently explored her body with his hands. When he got to her thigh and squeezed it gently, she was already limp and unable to fight his touches anymore. Hibari smirked into her lips, slowly drawing circles on her thighs and knowing that she wanted more. _

_"Still want me to stay away?" _

_She closed her eyes. _

_**Let me be selfish just this once. **_

_And so she slowly started to respond to his touches. Her eyes fluttered open as his hands sneakily crawled up her shirt to tickle her stomach. _

_"S-Stop! S-stop it, K-kyoya!"_

_It was a game they played almost daily. He would make her squirm and beg for forgiveness for something that she had done to make him annoyed or slightly upset. _

_"You're not supposed to bully a sick person!"_

_"Oh?" His taunting tone only made it worse for her. She wanted him so much. But she wanted him to stay away from her. What is he thinking? What is she thinking, giving in to him just like this? She's sick. She's going to die soon. She's going to infect him and kill him eventually like this! But all coherent thought was quickly leaving her as his hands skillfully danced across her skin. _

_"I want you to stay! Stop it, Kyoya! I want you to stay!"_

_"Finally." He rolled off her with a smirk, pulling her closer. Her pants sounded loud in his ears and her heated forehead pressed against his side. _

_"You terrible, horrible..."_

_"Would you like to finish that sentence?" His hands gripped her foot as he got ready to tickle her. _

_"No! No, no, sorry! I'm sorry! Stop!" She laughed as he tickled her anyway. _

_He wished they could stay like that forever, her lying just within arms reach of him. _

* * *

><p>Hibari took Kumiko home with him. He didn't trust the illusionist to take care of her anymore for obvious reasons. Since she was sleepily falling against his back with every step they took, Hibari found it suitable to hail a cab for them both. As soon as the taxi driver saw that it was Hibari Kyoya who had hired him, he immediately started sweating bullets. Hibari Kyoya never took a taxi. Never.<p>

"Namimori Shrine." Hibari ordered, and the driver pressed his foot against the gas pedal immediately, making the taxi jerk into a quick start. Kumiko startled awake as the taxi sped over a pothole, making the two passengers in the back seat jump. Hibari growled at the taxi driver.

"Drive slower."

"Ye-yes, Hibari-san!"

The taxi slowed down and Kumiko fell against his chest sleepily. After her apology, Kumiko didn't seem so scared of him anymore. She still flinched when his hands wandered too close to her face, but she didn't mind being in his presence anymore. He was glad of that.

Hibari's hands ghosted over her wounded face and his heart thudded quickly ever so slightly when she winced and tried to pull away from his touch. "Sorry." He murmured again. Kumiko regarded him with eyes glazed over with fatigue, and Hibari tenderly pushed a strand of her hair away from her face. His hand lingered on her burning forehead. The fever seems to be getting worse, he realized. He thought that the medicine that was given to her would help her, but apparently it hasn't brought the temperature down at all. Kumiko yawned and he let her fall back against his chest once more.

Suddenly remembering all her belongings back at Chrome's house, she jerked upright. Hibari gripped her wrist as she looked around wildly.

"What are you looking for?" He questioned, rubbing her back soothingly. "_Kuro." _She scrawled against his chest, her writing sloppy as the taxi swerved once more. Hibari glared at the driver through the mirror, and the taxi slowed immediately.

"Kuro?"

"_My cat. I left him back at Chrome's house. My other belongings are back there as well..." _

"I'll get it later. And your belongings too." She nodded, satisfied with his answer, her head drooping abruptly back onto his chest. Her eyes fluttered shut as she dozed off. Hibari caught the taxi driver sending them curious glances through the mirror, and immediately growled for the man to keep his eyes on the road.

They reached the shrine not long after that. Hibari paid and got out, carrying Kumiko. Her head lolled limply, her brown hair splayed across his arm and tickling his skin. He was surprised to see that she was still so light, a month after the Nakamura incident. She was still not eating properly, was she? Hibari frowned and carried her behind the shrine and into a little door just to the side of it. Following a short tunnel, they emerged in a beautiful bamboo grove, with a traditional Japanese house built in the midst of all the verdant foliage. Not many people knew where Hibari Kyoya lived, and part of the reason was that it was hidden away so cleverly. Hibari's parents hadn't wanted anyone to know that they lived close to the town for some discipline reason, and thus they chose to built the house in a hidden clearing of a bamboo forest. The only people who knew where he lived was Kusakabe Tetsuya, and (his lip curled at the thought) that annoying herbivore Sasagawa Ryohei. Wind chimes tinkled as Hibari pushed the door open with one foot, his hands occupied with the girl in his arms.

Padding to his room, he carefully lay her out on his futon, sighing when she did nothing but bury her face into his pillow. Padding quietly towards his living room, Hibari retrieved a thermometer and came back, kneeling down beside her.

"I'm taking your temperature." He murmured softly. Kumiko moaned and tried to wiggle out of his cold grasp, but Hibari gripped her head tighter and slid the thermometer into her mouth. She coughed and her eyes fluttered open and shut, looking at him through hazy vision.

41.7 degrees Celsius.

Hibari carefully pulled the thermometer back out of her mouth and lay her down. He pressed a hand to her forehead, wishing that the coolness of his palms could ease some of her suffering. Kumiko whimpered and blinked drowsily. "Sleep." He ordered her, and she gladly complied.

* * *

><p>The doorbell rang, sound grating harshly against the silence of the apartment. Chrome rose from her perch on the armchair quickly to pull open the wooden door. It opened soundlessly, and she stared into the silvery blue eyes she was immediately faced with.<p>

"Chrome Dokuro." Hibari greeted monotonously, his facial expression betraying none of his surprise at seeing her. He had expected Mukuro, not this poor weak excuse of an illusionist. He wanted to settle debts with Mukuro as well. He wasn't about to just let Mukuro's incident with Kumiko slide with a simple apology and a tonfa to a face. His hands itched to grasp his weapon roughly and he longed for the feeling of smashing the metal into Mukuro's smirking face. He wanted revenge. He wanted blood to be spilled. He wanted the monster inside him to be finally sated.

"Cloud-man?" Chrome's voice was carefully measured. She sounded as if she was treading on eggshells. _She should be afraid of me._

Hibari barely spared her a glance, looking past her to see the small form of a black cat sitting innocently on the table top. Kuro's tail flicked in curiousity as his green orbs stared down Hibari's icy eyes. Chrome followed his line of sight and saw that Kuro was currenlty observing the two of them from a safe distance.

"Cloud-man, that's Kumiko-chan's cat...?" She trailed off as Hibari shot her an angry glare. How could she still call Kumiko 'Kumiko-chan' like they were best friends after Chrome just tried to sabotage their relationship? Hibari snapped his fingers. The black cat leapt off the table, muscles flowing lithely. It looked like a small, dark stream, stretching off the wooden tabletop to stretch onto the floor. Kuro licked it's paws delicately and padded over to Hibari.

"Where are the rest of her belongings?" Hibari muttered lowly, just enough for Chrome to catch his meaning. Chrome blinked her one eye back at him.

"Her room, Cloud-man."

"Get them." Anger slowly creeped into Chrome's feelings. How dare he order her around in her own house? This is ridiculous. Who said she had to follow his orders around in her own apartment? Chrome took a defiant step forward.

"I don't want to." She whispered, her eye sparkling with hidden tension. She felt electrified when Hibari's face edged closer to her, his lips parted in a barely audible snarl. Courage raced up and down her spine. Drunken with her own feelings and courage, Chrome leaned forward. She could smell his musky scent, could almost taste his smooth skin on her lips. She wondered briefly if she was going crazy. Her thoughts were clouded with want. This was not like her. She was usually more controlled. _Mukuro-sama?_She wanted Hibari Kyoya. More than she had ever wanted Mukuro before. She felt like a traitor. She is a traitor. She betrayed Koizumi Kumiko, one of her friends. The lonely girl in her class. She is a traitor. It doesn't matter. She's terrible. Horrible. But she wanted him.

_Mukuro-sama..._If she didn't at least try to draw Hibari's attention to her, Mukuro wouldn't get a fair chance at Koizumi Kumiko's heart, would he? If she didn't try and push Hibari away from Kumiko, Mukuro wouldn't be able to ever hold that cute little brunette in his arms, would he? If she didn't do this for Mukuro-sama, how could she ever repay the debt that she owes him when he saved her life?

And so she leaned forward even more. The very tip of her lips brushed against those of the skylark's, and Hibari jerked backwards.

"Don't touch me." He hissed at her, his eyes narrowed in pure, unadulterated fury. It radiated off him in waves, making the illusionist stumble back a few steps. Chrome picked up Kuro and stroked the cat languidly, smiling angelically when Kuro purred and stretched against her teasing touches.

"Cloud-man, would you like me to help?" Hibari growled in repsonse and pushed past her, stalking to Kumiko's room. He pushed open the door and sighed in relief when he saw that all her belongings were neatly arranged around the room. He eyed the pristine setting with approval. Maybe he would get her to tidy up the reception room once in a while. All those files needed filing anyway, and Kusakabe Tetsuya could surely need a few extra helping hands sometime in the future, he mused.

He bent down and started gathering up her schoolbooks. Chrome stood behind him, silently watching and stroking Kuro. Kuro mewed and tried to wriggle out of her hands, but she tightened her grip on the poor black cat as if afraid he was going to jump out of her hands and run away from her. Hibari heard the cat's cries and glared back at her. What does she want from him?

He went to her and took the cat out of her arms, glaring at her when she shot him a suspicious smile. She looked completely innocent and angelic, but Hibari has learnt not to trust anyone depending on their looks. He ignored her when she tugged on his sleeve quietly, calling out his name in that soft voice of hers. She almost seemed to be layering herself in a cocoon, only revealing her cute and soft self and hiding her inner thoughts. Hibari knew something was wrong instantly when he saw that the girl didn't seem shy as she had when he first met her. She seemed more determined, independent, and there was something else in her eyes...

"Cloud-man? Would you like me to help?" She approached him bravely once more, her hand lingering on his arm for far longer than Hibari would've liked. Hibari shook her hand off immediately and turned away from her, letting his actions speak for his answer. To his frustration, Chrome didn't seem to get it at all. She trailed after him, her one purple eye displaying a mixture of sadness and persistant determination. She was going to follow him until she got what she wanted, apparently. Hibari moved onto the desk, scooping up all of Kumiko's textbooks and placing them neatly into a cardboard box.

"Kumiko-chan's moving out to live with you?" Chrome murmured quietly, sounding incredulous. Hibari ignored her once more and kicked the cardboard box aside, one hand flicking through the drawers to check if there was anything inside. He pulled open the last one, and that's when he felt it. Chrome's hand was trailing down his back idly. When it reached the middle of his spine, it stopped and moved slightly to the right.

"This...is where Komatsu Tsubaki was going to stab you, right?"

_How did she know? Did Rokudo Mukuro tell her?_

"I saw it through Mukuro-sama's eyes. We are linked together mentally. He can't hide anything from me, and I..." She leaned forward, her eyelash fluttering against his cheek. "...Can't hide anything from him either." Her lips pressed against his cheek fleetingly, and before he knew what he was doing, Hibari had pressed her against the wall with a tonfa to her neck. Chrome's eye widened. A crash sounded and the drawer that Hibari had accidentally pulled out too far clattered to the floor, spilling it's contents. Hibari saw red as clutched his tonfa tighter. He was going to kill her. How dare this herbivore touch him, kiss him, without his permission. The only person who is allowed to touch him in such an intimate manner is **his Kumiko. **No one else.

Chrome found herself suddenly fending off harsh blows with her trident. She desperately parried and blocked the blows, feeling herself getting cornered slowly. Her movements became sharper as she was overcome with desperation. She didn't want to die here. She didn't want to be hurt. She didn't want to be killed because of her feelings for him. She didn't want to be unwanted. Hibari hates her, and that hurt her more than anything. Why did she kiss him again?

Her expression turned bewildered as she replayed the previous scene in her mind. Why...why did she touch him again? Didn't she know that cloud-man became angry when people touched him without his permission? Didn't she know that Hibari Kyoya could easily kill her if he wanted to with a tonfa to the head? Didn't she promise not to show any of her feelings for Hibari in front of him or Kumiko, because she wanted her friend to have a fair relationsihp? What's wrong with her?

"C...Clo..." She stuttered as Hibari stopped his tonfa inches from smashing into her skull. She collapsed onto her knees with exhaustion, the determined expression fading from her eyes to be replaced with a surprised expression. Hibari glared at her, watching as she transformed from something that he would've liked to bite to death to a meek herbivore. There is definitely something wrong with Chrome Dokuro. Ignoring her once more, he turned and started picking up the items from the broken drawer. An opened box of chocolates, a bunch of withered roses, a pack of playing cards, a..ring and a box weapon type thing. Hibari had seen these items before.

He picked up the box weapon carefully, inspecting the hole and the four corners. It was pretty plain, simple but elegant. Silver curled around the edges of the box, glinting as it caught the dim light in the room. The ornamental decoration looked elegant and quite expensive, and the box was small yet light. It looked quite similar to his own Vongola Box. He shook it curiously, glaring at it when nothing rattled. Picking up the ring, he willed his irritation at the events that happened a few minutes before to resurface, watching with deep satisfaction as the purple flame leapt and licked at the silvery purple crystal.

He inserted the ring into the box.

"Mew!" A small white kitten tumbled out of the box and onto the desk, playfully flicking it's tail against his forearm. Chrome gasped in delight and reached out for the small cat, but Hibari glared at her and batted her hand away, refusing to hand it over.

It's Kumiko's cat. When he saw the girl in the hospital, she was playing with this feline. Hibari remembered the way the kitten melted into cloud flames and disappeared into the box. He remembered the way Kumiko had looked so disappointed as she looked for her animal companion.

It's something he could do to make her happy, he realized. The poor sick brunette would probably jump for joy upon seeing the small cat once more. Kuro leapt up onto the desk and sniffed at the other cat curiously. The white kitten sneezed and tackled Kuro. Hibari's eyes softened as he watched the two small animals tumble around the table, batting at each other with their claws carefully sheathed. They were play-fighting. He reached out and managed to stop the two playful animals from tumbling off the table all together.

* * *

><p>Kumiko blinked open her eyes and saw that it was dark in the room. She couldn't see anything, and that worried her. Has she gone blind as well? She felt immensely disappointed at that thought. Not scared. Just disappointed. She always thought that because she couldn't speak, she would take care of her other senses well. She had vowed once that she would never ever go blind or go deaf.<p>

And then the light clicked on.

The blanket was over her head instantly. She found that she prefered the darkness to the glare of the artificial lighting in this room. She buried her face into the pillow when someone peeled the blankets off her, leaving her shivering in the futon.

"Oya, sorry." The blanket was replaced rather hastily, and Kumiko poked her head out to glare warily at Mukuro. If Mukuro was going to take advantage of her current situation, then she was going to hate him forever. She was never going to forgive him if he tried anything funny.

"Kufufufu...so this is the skylark's house. How traditional." Kumiko sent him a questioning gaze and he laughed once more. "I got the instructions from the boxer." _Boxer? _Mukuro sobered immediately upon seeing that she was red in the face and still sweating, even though she felt cold and didn't want to leave the warmth under the blankets. He placed one hand on her forehead. In comparison to Hibari's cold hands, Mukuro's hand was quite warm. He leaned closer and Kumiko shuffled away from him.

"Would you like anything to drink? Do you want me to get you a cup of water?" He questioned, his voice full of concern. He caught Kumiko off guard. She wasn't used to anyone offering to do something for her. Usually, she was the one that was asked to get something. She nodded slowly and scribbled _water_on Mukuro's palm. The illusionist sent her a soft smile and disappeared in front of her eyes. She blinked and yawned once more.

A cup of water was pushed closer to her face and she sat up to hold onto it. It wasn't until she gripped the cup that she realized she was shaking. Mukuro had on a very confused look, his hand shooting out and steadying that of her own. The water stopped sloshing immediately.

"Cold?"

_That's not it. _She felt hot now. Incredibly, undeniably hot. She was burning. She was on fire. She was going to die.

Mukuro pressed the glass to her lips and urged her to drink it by gently tilting the glass. The cool liquid met her parched lips and she found herself swallowing greedily, gulping as all the water disappeared from the glass quickly. Mukuro went and refilled it for her, and she once again emptied the glass in a matter of seconds. Mukuro filled it for the third time, relieved to see that she started sipping the water normally, swallowing at a much slower pace. He had thought she wanted to drown herself for a second.

Before the cup was even half empty, she turned her head away. With a wave of his hand, the cup disappeared. Kumiko stared with wide eyes and applauded his brief, majestic display slowly. He bowed back at her and she laughed breathily.

"Would you like to see another?" He grinned as she nodded, swaying slightly back and forth on her futon. Mukuro snapped his fingers and a small paper crane appeared in his hands. He snapped his finger once more and that one paper crane became a thousand, dotting the room up and filling it with a jumbled mix of colors. Kumiko let out a shout of joy, her eyes wide as she tried to take in all the colors now in the room. There were a few cranes hanging from the ceiling, and she reached up and pushed one slightly, making it knock into another. Mukuro chuckled at her childish delight and pushed a pile of cranes into her hands. She inspected them one by one, setting aside the blue and purple ones. When Mukuro asked her why, she replied on his hand.

_They're my favorite colors._

Mukuro's eyes softened as he watched her shakily try to line them up the floor beside her futon. Blue, purple, blue, purple...in a never ending line. He helped a bit, straightening them. His hands brushed hers and he was surprised to see that she was shaking harder than ever.

"Sleep." He whispered, and she nodded and slipped under the covers, her eyes following his movements as he lined up the last few cranes. The other cranes, he decided, should be arranged neatly around the futon. Kumiko smiled when he chose to hang all the blue and purple ones from the ceiling, and he spread the others around the floor.

Kumiko's eyes fluttered shut, and he carefully brushed the hair away from her eyes. He ghosted over her hands, seeing that they were finally still and not trembling. He used both hands and grasped one of hers, swallowing the small hand up in his big palms.

_If a thousand paper cranes makes one wish, then I wish with all my heart that you will get better, Kumiko. _

* * *

><p><em>"Mukuro..."<em>

_Hibari narrowed his eye at the hunched figure in front of her room. Mukuro buried his face in his hands. "She's really dying, isn't she?" Hibari jerked his head quickly in a nod, finding that he was unable to answer the illusionist directly. His throat felt clogged and as he swallowed, he imagined that he could feel the lump that formed with his sadness travel down his throat. It was disgusting. Hibari Kyoya was sad. It's disgusting and herbivorous. _

_"I...I can search for a cure. I'll find it for her..."  
><em>  
><em>"No. You're useless." Hibari found that he could only deal with his pain by ripping open other people's wounds further. He tended to lash out when he was upset. In the years that Kumiko and he were together, he found that he had been able to control his rage a lot better. Now that she was in there, dying slowly as he spoke, he found no need for self control. <em>

_"It's all your fault. You loved her too, didn't you? Why weren't you able to save her?" Hibari's voice sounded cold, hammering icicles into Mukuro's heart. Mukuro clenched his hands, refusing to let himself be provoked into violence by the skylark's harsh words. Hibari, seeing that his adversary doesn't have anything to react to this, turned and stalked down the corridor, his black suit blending in with the unlit walkway. "You're useless." He repeated._

_"That I am." Mukuro agreed softly. He vowed silently that he would find a cure for her, no matter what. _

* * *

><p>Hibari strolled home, finding no need to take a taxi anymore. He suspected that a visitor had gone to his house while he was gone, placing Chrome back at the apartment to stall him. He knew that Mukuro would find some way to visit Kumiko, no matter what. After all, that small herbivore had managed to steal his heart as well. Hibari chuckled to himself at that thought. Who knew such a weak looking herbivore, such a plain girl, could attract both his attention and that of Rokudo Mukuro's? Compared to Sasagawa Kyoko and various other girls in the school, she isn't even considered that pretty. But then again, Hibari wasn't one to go for those that are aesthetically pleasing. He would much rather a strong willed person. If anything, Kumiko was quite strong willed. The way she's smashed that chair against Komatsu's back...<p>

_I can't believe she has that strength in her. _

He walked through the tunnel and emerged in the beautiful bamboo grove once more. The sight left him feeling slightly overwhelmed. It was already quite late, and the moonlight glinted off the leaves, filling the atmosphere with an air of mystery. The green leaves turned velvety, looking sleek and shined with the silver of the moonlight. Kuro popped his head out from the cardboard box that Hibari was carrying with one arm, sniffing the air experimentally and flicking it's right ear. Hibari absentmindedly scratched the cat's ears with his other free hand, and Kuro immediately started purring.

The cat's contented rumbles filled the air, and Hibari looked up from stroking the black feline just in time to see Mukuro exit from his house. Mukuro stopped.

"Oya, I didn't know you would be done so fast."

"Mukuro." Hibari stated monotonously. Even though he knew he should hate the mist guardian for sneaking into his house without his permission, he couldn't bring himself to fight right now. Mukuro's eyes were sad and full of worry. With the way he was carrying himself, Hibari could tell that nothing had happened between the two.

"I gave her some water. She was burning up." He murmured. Hibari accepted his actions with a nod of his head, calmly walking past Mukuro to enter into his own house. He heard Mukuro sigh briefly, a sigh weighed with anxiety, and with a rustling of leaves, Mukuro disappeared.

Hibari wandered through his house, opening many doors and weaving his way through various rooms. Finally reaching his own, he slid open the door once more and placed the box of her belongings on the floor. Flicking on the light, his eyes widened at the scene in front of him.

There was his Kumiko, laying quietly in a futon. A thousand paper cranes surrounded her, hanging above her from the ceiling, surrounding her in a sea of color. Hibari almost didn't dare to move for fear of stepping on one. If he did, the wish that was placed on these small origami figures will be broken. A thousand paper cranes was an old superstition that his mother told him about, Hibari remembered. If one thousand paper cranes were made and the maker wished on them afterwards, then the wish would come true.

Hibari experimentally picked up a paper crane, surprised when he found that it was real and didn't dissolve upon his touch. He carefully made his way through the colourful crowd, a small smile forming when he saw that Mukuro had even strung them all together, following the Japanese tradition. He gave Kuro a small warning look when the cat tried to run off with a crane in it's mouth, almost tugging the entire impressive array out of order. Kuro seemed to understand him, carefully nudging the crane back into place with his paw and sitting back on it's haunches, tail flicking as it quietly observed him.

He made his way through the colorful crowd and reached the small island that was her futon. She whimpered and sniffled slightly when he lay down next to her. Feeling her forehead with one hand, he noted that her fever had burned out slightly. Her face was still flushed, but it was no longer screwed up in pain. Kumiko leaned into his touch, her hand slowly wrapping around his left hand.

_I wish you'll get better, Koizumi Kumiko._

He supposed that Mukuro wouldn't mind if he shared some of the wish magic for the thousand origami paper cranes.

* * *

><p>And true to their wishes, Kumiko did seem to get better the next day. She woke up with a smile, curled tightly against Hibari's chest. The sunlight hit her eyelids and she let out a small squeal and buried her face under the blankets, nosing her way over to his neck. She no longer felt scared of him after he carried her home last night. She knew that Hibari was just angry and didn't feel very happy about her actions with Mukuro. Truth be told, she would've been angry too if she found that Hibari had been kissed behind her back, though she didn't know if she would react in such a violent manner. After her actions with Komatsu, Kumiko found that she didn't really know what she was going to do next anymore. It scared her, the unpredictability of her own actions.<p>

Hibari's arm tightened around her unconsciously. He was still asleep, his face set in a deep frown and his eyebrows scrunched up. Kumiko studied him silently for a few minutes, noting that she didn't like the fact that he looked so troubled. She tried to smooth out his furrowed eyebrows with her finger, yelping when Hibari's eyes snapped open in anger at being disturbed. She immediately moved her finger to his mouth, tugging on the sides of Hibari's mouth in an effort to make him smile. He grimaced and the anger ebbed away from him slowly. Gripping her hand, he pushed it away from his mouth and yawned.

"What time is it?"

Kumiko turned around to look for a clock of any kind. She widened her eyes, seeing that the cranes were still on the floor. _They wished for my recovery, didn't they? _She loved the myth of the paper cranes, because it was such a simple yet hopeful story. _Mukuro...did this for me?_She picked one off the ceiling, slowly inspecting the folds of the paper.

"What time is it, herbivore?" She had forgotten all about Hibari's request for her to tell him the time. Blushing slightly, she placed the paper crane back on the floor next to her and got up. Hibari suddenly looped his arm around her waist and dragged her back down next to him. "Nevermind. Sleep."

He pressed a hand to her forehead again, nodding in satisfaction when he realized that the temperature is just slightly hotter than normal. He stood up and stretched, padding quietly out of the room. Kumiko tried to get up after him, but he gently yet firmly pushed her back down onto the bed. "Don't move." He warned, and she reluctantly lay down once more. Hibari pinned her in place with a stern glare and she 'eep'ed. He smirked and went to get a cup of water. Coming back, he thrust it into her hand. "Drink."

Kumiko sipped at the water, coughing once in a while and observing Hibari's reaction out of the corner of her eye to see if he was displeased with her actions in any way. He didn't look displeased, but he did look a bit impatient. She quickly downed the glass in two gulps and stood up to take the glass back to wherever Hibari got it from. She felt really unsteady on her feet, she realized. She wobbled and tipped over, and would've smashed her face into the cranes by her feet if it weren't for the fact that Hibari caught her. His arms are strong around her, and she automatically wrapped her arms around his neck to keep herself steady.

"Herbivore, I told you not to move." Hibari gently pushed her back down onto the futon once more, and Kumiko lay down resignedly. Her eyes widened in delight when Kuro weaved his way into view, meowing and rubbing against Hibari's leg before curling up under her arm. Her fingers immediately tangled into the fur of her beloved black cat and she was asleep in a mere minute. Hibari sighed and started collecting the paper cranes.

"Hibari~ Hibari!" Hibird fluttered through the window, cocking it's head curiously at the thousands of other birds that occupied the room right now. Hibari stretched out his hand and Hibird fluttered onto his finger, chirping affectionately at it's master. "Keep the noise down." Hibari replied, absentmindedly rubbing the top of Hibird's head with his finger. "The herbivore is sick."

"Sick~" Hibird repeated eagerly, and fluttered off to circle at the ceiling. Kuro's green eyes followed the movements of the bird, and Hibari reminded himself to keep Kuro and Hibird in separate rooms. Kuro flopped back down, knowing that he would never reach the bird aslong as it circled at those heights.

"Ciaossu, Hibari." Reborn leapt through the window, landing on his shoulder and cleanly avoiding all the cranes hanging from the ceiling.

"Akanbou." Hibari replied monotonously, having not reacted to the surprising entrance of the Arcobaleno. In fact, he didn't even raise his head, intent on sweeping all the cranes into one neat pile.

"Namimori Chuu is shut down for a week!" Reborn informed him. Now this got Hibari his attention. His head shot up and Reborn balanced himself with his hand on Hibari's shoulder, slightly swaying from the sudden movement. "Why did I not here of this?" He hissed, still careful to keep his voice low so as not to wake up the sleeping Kumiko. Reborn smirked. "There's a bomb planted underneath the school, Hibari. I've called in some of Vongola's bomb experts to make sure that it doesn't go off if someone accidentally steps on it. We have to dig up the whole courtyard, since we are not sure where the bomb is located. Therefore, the whole school has been shut down because of this incident."

Hibari frowned, and then his phone rang. Reborn's smile widened as pulled over the jacket hanging on the windowsill and pulled out his phone from one of the front pockets. "Kusakabe Tetsuya."

"Kyo-san! Namimori Chuu is shut down for a week because of the bomb..."

"I know." Hibari closed his eyes and sighed.

"What now, Akanbou?" He questioned, turning to Reborn. Reborn looked contemplative for a few minutes, but his thoughtful expression couldn't fool Hibari. "Tsuna and the rest of the guardians are going to train in Mafia Land. They have some exclusive training grounds over there, and Colonello can help us with some training as well. All the guardians are coming. This is mandatory."

"I don't take orders from everyone, Akanbou. Even if that Sawada Tsunayoshi herbivore comes and begs me to go, I will not go."

"You'll meet some interesting sparring partners there." Reborn continued. Hibari raised one eyebrow, a bloodthirsty smirk making its way across his face. "Oh? Is that so?" Reborn smirked once more. It was easy to manipulate Hibari Kyoya when you find out what he truly wants.

"Besides, I heard that Koizumi Kumiko is ill. She can recover at Mafia Land with the rest of the family. Shamal is coming on the trip too, not to mention that there are a lot of high class doctors situated in Mafia Land if there is ever an emergency."

_Kumiko..._

"Hn. I'll think about it."

"If you want to come, meet in front of Tsuna's house tomorrow at 8:30 am."

Reborn jumped back out the window and Hibari watched as the baby hitman nimbly leapt from leaf to leaf on the bamboo before disappearing into the thickness of the forest.

* * *

><p>"Fon."<p>

"Yaa~...Reborn!"

"He's coming."

"Hm? Are you so sure of that?"

"Yes. He's definitely coming."

"Hmm..."

"Will you train him? You are the most suited mentor for Hibari Kyoya."

"...He'll have to learn to harness this power sooner or later."

"I see."

"See you there then."

"Ah."

* * *

><p><em>I want to go say thank you to Mukuro. <em>Kumiko insisted, determinedly staring down Hibari's glares. "No." He growled, one hand on her wrist and keeping her pinned against his chest. "I will not allow you to do so." Her fever is gone completely, and for that, Hibari was glad. However, he was too protective of her to let her simply walk around outside right after her recovery.

_"But he made all these cranes for me! And..."_

Hibari let go of her with a snarl. "Fine. If you want to go, then _go._" She dipped her head in shame. _"Sorry, but I really do need to thank him." _Stretching up on her tippy toes, she kissed him on the cheek. Hibari growled and shoved her against the wall roughly, biting her bottom lip and slipping his tongue into her mouth immediately...But he let go as soon as she let out a wail of pain. Backing away, he glared down at his hands. _Why? When I feel angry, why am I so out of control?_

"Kumi..." She hugged him. Hibari's eyes widened. _Why? Didn't I just hurt her? _

_"Can you kiss me? But...softer?" _She buried her face into the side of his neck and waited for him. He stayed completely still. _"Are you still mad at me, Hibari-san?" _

_No. No, I'm not._

He tilted her back onto the futon, nibbling on her collarbone. Moving his lips up to her neck, he bit and sucked on a sensitive spot, making her cry out and squirm underneath him. Her hands trailed down his chest and Hibari resisted the urge to shiver at her soft touch. He's in control, he had to remind himself. He bit down harder on her neck and Kumiko let out a muffled moan at the equal doses of pain and pleasure that came with the bite. Hibari pulled back with a smug expression, staring down at the hickey that he marked her smooth neck with. He had never heard her moan before, and he decided that he likes that sound the most.

Kumiko reached up and wrung her arms around his neck, pulling him down to kiss her. He did, but gently this time. He licked her bottom lip apologetically, guilt building within him when he tasted the metallic tang of blood. She opened her mouth for him and he deepened the kiss, pressing her down onto the futon. Her hands tangled into his hair, and his hands wrapped around her waist. He became bolder, slipping one hand up her back and stroking a seductive line down her spine. Kumiko broke off the kiss with a choke and blushed furiously, grabbing the blankets and hiding underneath them. Hibari pounced on top of the moving lump beneath his blankets and growled playfully, pushing her over and revealing her head and neck. She giggled and gasped as he pushed his face into the crook of her neck, choosing a new spot to suck on.

Panting, they both broke off. Hibari wrapped his arms around her, feeling a deep sense of contentment when she leaned her head into his neck and sighed happily. She caught sight of the clock and jumped up immediately with a gasp.

"Herbivore, I'll come with you." She nodded gratefully and followed him out of the door. When he wheeled a motorcycle from the back of the house, she paled. Hibari owned a motorcycle? But isn't he underage? She hated motorcycles. Because...

_The lights flashed green, and her father stepped on the gas pedal, easing the car forward to follow along with the line of traffic. "Kumiko, was it fun?" _

_"Yes it was, papa!" _

_Screeching of metal, tyres scraping against the tarmac, a bang and a motorcycle skidded across the road and the our tyres ran over it and the crunch of bones and the jolt of her head being smashed against the backseat of her father's chair and then her father's head snapping forward and the seatbelt jerking him backwards and the air cushion that never deployed and his broken nose and his shattered teeth and his unnaturally jagged neck and the white coming out of his throat and the blood running down her mother's face and her mouth is open and her eyes are wide and her neck is at a weird angle and there's a shard of glass running through her stomach and she could see the blood and the flesh and the blood and the flesh and the pale pink cushion that was tossed in the nick of time wedged against her abdomen and her head was bleeding and it hurt and..._

"...ivore. Herbivore. What are you doing?" She took a step back as he tried to offer her the helmet. "Take it, herbivore." He insisted, stepping over and trying to press it into her hand. She stumbled backwards and Hibari hurriedly looped an arm around her waist so that she wouldn't hit her head against the bamboo behind her. He drew her closer, noting that her eyes seemed dull and dead. He pressed his forehead against hers.

"Look at me." He whispered. She flicked her gaze up to his eyes.

"Look at me, herbivore. Do you trust me?" She nodded slowly and he pressed the helmet onto her head firmly, buckling and tightening the strap. "Do you still want to go?" She hesitated at that, and Hibari sighed, his hands lingering on the sides of her face. "Do you still want to go?"

Something's wrong with her, he realized. She wasn't responding. She was reminiscing. Something terrible, perhaps. Why did this happen?

_Motorcycle._

"We'll take the train." He murmured, unbuckling the helmet and casually slinging it across the seat of his vehicle. She jerked as he wrapped his arms around her gently and pulled her into a soft embrace. "We'll take the train." He repeated, and she nodded, tears squeezing through from under her eyelids and running down her cheeks. He gently wiped away the tears with his thumb and kissed her on her forehead.

In the end, they didn't go.

* * *

><p>AN: Thank you for all the lovely reviews, everyone! I've reached 80...XD I'M SO HAPPY! Seriously. You guys are all awesome, and you give me inspiration to keep writing! I'm getting more used to writing longer chapters, for which I am glad XD I have a lot to say, after all.

Thanks to those who reviewed in my last update: **novellanite12, anon, Rotton Heresy and Chocolate, AppleDragon, SabbiiEatzCookies, ShizukaRen-Hime, Clair Kingsleigh, Starish-sky and TunaSFX. **Thank you all so much! And of course, thanks to those who have favorited and put this story on alert. I really appreciate the support that you guys are giving me! Boosts my confidence so much XD

NOTE: Senbazuru means a thousand origami cranes.

As always, please read and review!


	23. Ducks and Water

Disclaimer: I don't own Katekyo Hitman Reborn!  
>Rating: T<br>A/N: I hope you guys are satisfied with the amount of plot that I'm putting into this story! And the level of fluff as well XD

* * *

><p>Ducks and Water<p>

* * *

><p>Kumiko quickly slipped on her school uniform, nervously turning the buttons on her blouse. She had spent the night at Hibari's house, and that wasn't making her nerves any better. Waking up in a guest room, she had immediately blushed and looked for her school uniform. If she even dared to be late for school while living under the same roof as Hibari Kyoya, who knew what he would do to her? She shuddered as she pictured that tonfa of his slamming into her stomach as she'd seen it done to many victims in the past. Her bruised face throbbed with the memory of the painful hits, and she unconsciously brought her hand up to rub at it.<p>

"Stop it, herbivore."

She squeaked in fright and wheeled around to see Hibari striding towards her with an irritated frown. He fixed his eyes on her wound and tossed her a small bottle. She caught it shakily, fumbling and almost dropping it, much to his amusement.

"Put it on the bruise." She gaped to see that it was the exact same ointment that she'd offered him just before they'd started getting themselves into such a mess with Nakamura and everything. Her hand clasped around the familiar bottle. Cracking it open, she gingerly rubbed the wound with the ointment, smiling slightly when the familiar coolness washed over her bruise. Hibari observed her with an apathetic expression, noting her small smile.

"We're going out. Pack."

She blinked at him in surprise. Isn't it a school day today?

"School is closed. They're looking for the bomb." Hibari informed her, turning and walking out the room. "We're going on a trip for a week. Pack." Him and her, on a trip, for a whole week? She blushed slightly. This is beyond awkward. He caught her embarrassed look and frowned back at her. "No, we're not going alone." He didn't leave her with any more information. Nothing on where they're going, whom they were going with, how they were going to get there. She felt a brief flash of frustration pass through her. How is she even going to pack properly if he didn't give her more information?

She gaped after him for a bit and then obediently moved to shove a few sets of clothes into her bag. She only packed a little bit, but then she supposed that she could always wash the clothes and wear it again. Sounds of clothes rustling and closet doors opening and shutting came from the next room over. Hibari's movements were unnecessarily loud in her ears. He was always a quiet person and it unnerved her to hear him moving around with such force. He was as uncomfortable about the prospect of leaving Namimori as she is, she realized.

"It's a resort. Bring your swimsuit." His voice floated from the next door over, and she blushed. She didn't own any nice swimsuits. Sighing, she picked up the dull black one-piece school swimsuit and reluctantly shoved it into the bag as well. She found herself wishing that she was a bit more fashion conscious. Even for a girl her age, she didn't wear a lot of fancy clothes. Her wardrobe consisted mainly of t-shirts and shorts, and in the winter, sweaters and jeans. She wondered whether Hibari would mind her looking so plain. She wasn't pretty, she didn't dress nicely. The only thing she's really proud of are her school grades. Without any friends, she had focused her energy on studying, and the teachers became more lenient with her knowing that she's mute. She almost always got full marks on every test.

Sighing, she shoved yet another blandly colored t-shirt into her bag. Her gaze constantly rested on the pile of cranes in one corner of her room. They were arranged neatly and sorted according to color. Orange, blue, red, green, indigo, violet and yellow. On second thought, she grabbed one of each color and shoved it into the front pocket of her bag.

"That's unnecessary." She blushed when she saw that Hibari was staring at her, leaning against the door frame leading to the guest room that she had unknowingly occupied last night. To her relief, he quickly dropped the subject and didn't comment any further. She had been scared that he would ask her to leave the cranes at home or something. Kumiko knew she was being a bit irrational with her attachtment to the cranes, but she couldn't help it. She didn't want to leave them at home. It was like...a good luck charm, almost. Hibari was staring at her attire, and with a start, she realized that she was still wearing her school uniform. She coughed nervously and flushed an even darker shade of red. Hibari smirked and walked towards her.

"I didn't know you liked the school uniform that much, herbivore." He leaned his face closer to her and watched as the poor brunette squirmed under his gaze.

To her embarrassment, her stomach rumbled. Hibari pulled back with a small triumphant grin and patted her on the head condescendingly. She mewed in protest and batted his hand away in mock anger. Hibari glanced at the clock, noting that it was 8:25. They were never going to make it if they didn't take the motorcycle.

"Change. Meet me at the front of the house."

Kumiko nodded and grabbed a spare t-shirt and shorts. She quickly discarded the school uniform, careful to fold it neatly and leave it next to her futon. Ducking into the t-shirt and pulling the shorts up, she sighed as she surveyed her messy appearance in the mirror. Her brown hair was messy and she didn't even have time to pull her comb through it.

"Hurry up."

She slung the bag over her shoulder awkwardly, noting that even her cast on her left hand is lopsided. Quickly giving it a twist, she tripped over the threshold and stumbled towards the door. Exiting out onto the lawn, she breathed in the cool air, feeling a lot more refreshed. Birds chirped and the bamboo swayed gently in the small breeze that passed through their location. A small puffy yellow bird landed on Hibari's head and he stroked its head gently. Suddenly, she noted the black motorcycle that Hibari was leaning on. She unconsciously took a step back and Hibari grimaced, remembering her nervous breakdown the night before. Swallowing the feeling of fear that threatened to overwhelm her, she forced herself to move over to Hibari and accept the helmet that he was already holding out for her. Hibari observed her quietly, moving to help her clip on the helmet when her hands shook too much to do so. He got onto the vehicle, gesturing for her to climb on behind him.

"Do you trust me?"

She nodded and wrapped her arms tightly around his waist, squeezing her eyes shut. Her mouth clamped shut, her jaw locking out of fear. She could already hear the revving of the engine and she could imagine..

_Hibari flew across the road as the car hit the motorcycle. His bones snapped painfully and she screamed for him, but then the car ran her over and her lungs collapsed, being punctured by her broken ribs. Her scream came out as a breathy, drawn out gasp. Pain over came her torso, but she forced herself to watch helplessly as Hibari's lifeless eyes met hers, his blood pooling and seeping into the concrete of the floor..._

Hibari realized that she was sobbing into his shirt when he felt the wetness seep through the fabric. He couldn't comprehend how such a simple motorcycle could cause her to break down like this. Annoyance passed through his heart. How weak of her, to be conquered by her fear in such extremes. As he started the motorcycle, she clung onto him tighter and he sighed in resignation. If she wanted to be clingy, then he was going to let her, but only this once. He might have to give her a talking to later.

An idea struck him suddenly. He hoped the akanbou wouldn't mind them being a little late to Sawada Tsunayoshi's house.

* * *

><p>"Wake up, Dame-Tsuna."<p>

"HIIIIIEEEEE!" Tsuna screeched as Reborn dumped a bucket of ice over his head. Gokudera, who had been napping at Tsuna's desk, waiting for his Jyuudaime to wake up, was immediately jolted awake. "JYUUDAIME! WHO'S ATTACKING? I'LL BLOW THEM UP!"

And thus, the chaotic Sawada household is once again brought to life. Tsuna sat up with a sigh as Gokudera waved his thankfully unlit dynamite around the room. "Gokudera-kun, you really don't have to use dynamite...There's no enemy..."

"Kufufufu...you're wrong about that, Sawada Tsunayoshi."

Mukuro patted Gokudera on the head as Gokudera snarled and tried to stuff dynamite up his shirt. "Oya? That's not a very nice welcome!" Tsuna looked like he was about to faint from Mukuro's entrance. Reborn smirked as he observed his student's eyes get wider and his skin get paler from the shock. Tsuna wobbled back and forth dangerously as he threatened to lose consciousness altogether. Gokudera quickly moved to fan Tsuna's face, shooting deathly glares at Mukuro once in a while.

"M..Mu..Mukuro!" Tsuna finally forced out.

"Yo." The illusionist greeted him lazily, surveying the room with an amused expression. Chrome stepped into the room behind Mukuro, blushing and bowing. "Bo...bossu..."

Tsuna stared helplessly as Mukuro started ruffling through his books, chuckling. Chrome blinked at him and blushed whenever he stared back at her, turning to smile gently at Ipin. Ipin was chasing Lambo around the room and Lambo was weaving through Chrome and Mukuro's legs. Gokudera was scowling at the pineapple duo, and trying not to let his temper get out of hand. He looked like he really wanted to grab Lambo by the hair and slam him into the floor or something equally as violent. Lambo and Ipin looked really excited about something. Tsuna sighed. As always, he was the one that was left out of everything. He hoped Reborn wasn't doing anything weird again. Tsuna wondered if Reborn was planning something again. If Reborn is, then he is screwed.

"O...Onii-san!" A smash came from the corridor, and Tsuna hurriedly pulled open the door. Ryohei stumbled into the room, spinning drunkenly and smashing face first into the wall. Kyoko ran in after him and hurriedly pulled him upright, shaking him slightly and worriedly calling out for him. Tsuna panicked. He rushed over and also started shaking Ryohei, hoping that nothing major happened.

"E...eh...EXTREME! EXTREME RUNNING!" Ryohei responded with a howl. He shoved Tsuna off, and the poor Vongola Don bounced off the wall and straight into Chrome, making both of them crash into the ground. Gokudera immediately started screeching obscenities at both Ryohei and Chrome, and Tsuna staggered to his feat to try and placate his dynamite-happy right hand man quickly. Ipin leapt into the air and got herself tangled in Gokudera's hair, and Gokudera became even more angry. Ryohei punched an excited fist into the air and Reborn smirked at his antics. There goes the sun guardian, the most excitable person in the whole group, making everyone else excited as well.

The door to Tsuna's messy bedroom opened once more, and there stood Yamamoto, laughing and scratching his head, holding a box of sushi. Tsuna smiled in relief and Yamamoto laughed. "Yo, Tsuna! What's up? It's so noisy in here, hahahah! I see everyone's excited already!" Gokudera immediately started spluttering swear words in Yamamoto's direction and Tsuna sighed, getting ready to calm down his storm guardian once more. "Maa, maa, Gokudera! What's there to shout about?"

"YAKYUU BAKA! YOU'RE ALMOST LATE, YOU IDIOT!"

"Ahaha? Really?"

"Gokudera-kun! No need to be so angry at Yamamoto! He's not late!"

"But Jyuudaime..."

* * *

><p>Hibari stopped the motorcycle, turning the key in the ignition and letting the engine die down. Kumiko didn't loosen her grip around him, leaving him to try and pry her arms off him. She clung on tighter, and he sighed in irritation.<p>

"Open your eyes, herbivore. We're not moving anymore."

And so she slowly opened her eyes, glancing around with fear. She blinked a couple of times, and shakily dismounted from the motorcycle, letting out a breath of relief. Hibari observed her, his face carefully blank. She gasped as she realized they had stopped on a small bridge overlooking the river flowing beneath them. Ironically, this was where the older Hibari killed the older Kumiko. Hibari had no idea why he even wanted to come back to this place, but somehow, he wanted to show Kumiko something. He didn't really even know what.

His mind is full of confusion, but it wasn't the loud type of confusion. It was slow and peaceful, sort of like unravelling a nice memory with a loved one. It was driving him crazy. He didn't have anyone to spend good memories with before Kumiko came into his life, and so he had no idea why he was feeling this way. He wanted to bite someone to death, but he didn't want her to afraid anymore. He inhaled sharply and went over to Kumiko, who was clutching the railings of the bridge and looking down. She suddenly pointed at something, and Hibari saw a family of ducks lazily swimming down the river. The mother duck floated across the water's surface gracefully, and the little duckings quacked and arranged themselves into a line, following after their mother. Kumiko let out a breathless laugh of delight, and Hibari smiled unconsciously. The longing feeling that was pressing on his chest left and he felt lighter all of a sudden. He wrapped his arms around Kumiko. She leaned back against his chest, feeling safe in his embrace. The time on his watch said 8:29. He had one minute left, but he didn't mind not being on time anymore. Even though it was undisciplined. Even though it went against the careful punctual life that he had built for himself. He just wanted to spend this moment with her.

And then he stopped time.

Kumiko tilted her head back in surprise as she saw the ducks stop moving. The ripples in the water from their swimming froze in place, little ringlets making the surface of the water uneven. Hibari's eyes widened. He imagined he could see the couple, no, the older him and older Kumiko strolling along the bank, the sunlight behind them and casting their outlines in piercing golden hues. He saw Ten Years Later Hibari lean down and whisper something in her ear, and he saw Kumiko lean down and pick up a little ducking delicately, patting its head. Something tugged on his arm and he almost jumped in surprise. He managed to keep his body in check and merely inclined his head towards Kumiko.

She is scared. He could see that. She kept on looking towards the frozen water and ducklings, shock evident in her eyes. Why is she still moving? He kept his arms around her and realized that if he let go of her she would be frozen, like the sun was in the sky, or the ducks were in their river. A flock of birds were frozen in midflight in the middle of the sky, their wings in the middle of beating downwards. Somehow, the idea of her being frozen along with the rest of the world, leaving him the only being that is moving, scared him. He pulled her closer to him, and she whimpered. What's happening? Her eyes seemed to say. Slowly, he lowered his head and brushed his lips against her cheek. She blinked slowly, still slightly scared.

"It's nothing."

And then she relaxed. Ever so slightly, her tense muscles loosened. Her head dropped onto his chest, and her arms looped themselves around his neck. Her breathing evened out, no longer hitching like it does when she's scared.

And then he realized that they could actually get to Sawada Tsunayoshi's house on time.

* * *

><p>"...kuro! What are you doing, HIIIIIEEE!"<p>

Mukuro chuckled as he waved his trident casually and knocked over Tsuna's bookshelf. Being the sadistic being that he is, he didn't mind watching as the bookshelf crashed into an unsuspecting Gokudera's back. Gokudera, who had been in the middle of shouting at Yamamoto, suddenly found himself faceplanted against the floor with a rather heavy wooden bookshelf upon him. Thankfully, the bookshelf was lighter than most bookshelves, since Tsuna is rather not fond of reading. Tsuna 'Hiiiee!'ed again and moved to try and lift the bookshelf upright. Mukuro casually piled on some more books, watching as Gokudera started screeching in panic. The bookshelf sagged and some of the books tumbled onto Tsuna's foot, causing the poor Vongola Don to squeal in pain. Yamamoto quickly lifted the bookshelf, chuckling when Gokudera started screaming obsceneties at Mukuro.

"Maa, maa, Gokudera. Don't use such bad words in front of children!"

"DO YOU THINK I GIVE A FUCK?"

"HIIIEEE! Gokudera-kun, don't pull out the dynamite!"

Ryohei punched the doorframe, excited by all the commotion. "EVERYONE, LET'S HAVE A BOXING MATCH WHILE WE WAIT TO THE EXTREME!" Gokudera immediately found a new target for his so called 'verbal excuse' and Yamamoto was suddenly swinging a bat enthusiastically, proclaiming that everyone should participate in a baseball match instead. Mukuro chuckled as poor Chrome was dragged over to be on Yamamoto's side, while Ryohei declared himself captain of the other team and grabbed Gokudera, much to the hot-headed bomber's distaste. The door to Tsuna's room opened slightly, and Tsuna let out a shriek of horror. What if it's someone worse? What if it's Hibari-san?

"Yo, little bro!" Dino strolled into the room casually, one hand holding onto the jacket over his shoulder. He surveyed the scene casually, laughing when he saw Ryohei and Yamamoto in a heated discussion over what would be better in this situation, baseball or boxing. "What's up, Reborn?"

"Shut up, Dame-Dino. We have to wait until Hibari gets here."

"Oh? Kyoya's coming too? That's a first."

"Kufufufufu...the skylark won't show up. He won't want to associate with these so called 'herbivores.'"

"HIBARI-SAN'S COMING? HIIIEEE! REBORN, WHY DID YOU INVITE HIM! HE'LL BITE US ALL TO DEATH!"

"Dame-Tsuna, he's your guardian. You have to include everyone."

"HIIIIEE!"

Dino placed a calming hand on Tsuna's shoulder, which sparked off more rage from Gokudera, whom was against anyone getting close to his Jyuudaime, especially older men like Dino. Yamamoto immediately tried to placate him, and Ryohei started screaming in everyone's ear. Between that cacophony and Mukuro's constant chuckles, the noise level in the room became quite unbearable.

Ignoring the rowdy antics of the group, Reborn checked the clock on the wall. It was already 8:29. Even if Hibari rode his motorcycle here at full speed, he wasn't going to make it on time. It was rare that the Head Prefect was late. Hibari considers being late undisciplined behaviour, and so Reborn found it especially weird that he was late himself. Reborn could only hope that Hibari was already well on the way.

He sighed and called for the attention of the people in the room.

* * *

><p>Hibari weaved through still cars skillfully. He looked at the clock mounted on the wall of a building and saw that not one second had passed since he'd managed to get Kumiko back onto the motorcycle on the bridge over the river. Kumiko had complied immediately and had latched back onto him, but he didn't mind so much this time. He felt as if he'd tasted real loneliness when he saw how the world was frozen, and was glad that she was moving and breathing next to him. Even now he could hear her panicked gasps as he cut too close to the side mirror of a car, or when he squeezed through the narrowest of gaps between vehicles. Occasionally, she would let out a little scream when he abandoned the road altogether for the sidewalk, choosing to zigzag through the frozen people on the sidewalks. She had opened her eyes to the world once more, no longer choosing to bury her face into his back. She didn't feel as petrified of the motorcycle as she was this morning. There were no moving cars to hit and there were no suddenly moving vehicles just around the corner. What with Hibari's driving skills, she felt relatively safe...<p>

Hibari hit a little ramp and the motorcycle was suspended in the air for a bit. She screamed and buried her head into his back once more. _I take that back! I take everything back! This is scary!_Hibari smirked at the little herbivore's antics. Even though he'd wanted her to stop being scared of his means of travel, he couldn't resist teasing her a little. He promised he would cure her of her fear someday, but just this once. And so he had gone for the ramp and the sidewalks, leaving her screaming and clinging onto him like a koala bear to a tree trunk.

Finally, they arrived. Hibari had quite some trouble getting off the motorcycle since she seemed attached to his back via the arms around his waist. He frowned and bodily picked her up, staggering a bit as he got off the vehicle unevenly.

"You can let go now, herbivore."

She slowly peeked from around his arms and saw that they were no longer in mid air, or even moving. Her feet touched the ground and she sheepishly let go of him. She froze. Hibari's eyes widened as he reached for her once more. The fear came back to him, stronger than before. He had seen something like this before. His loved one, frozen, while...

_A 6 year old Hibari was in the backseat of the family car. His father is drunk. His mother is arguing with his father. His father became impatient with the shouting. He lashed out violently at his mother, and Hibari saw the punch connect with her cheek. She covered her cheek with one hand and cried. Hibari's small hand reached out to comfort his mother, but his father suddenly jerked the wheel. They were on a bridge. The car crashed through the railings and plummeted into the river below. Hibari remembered the feeling of being suspended in mid air. He remembered covering his ears with his hands and screaming in fright, waiting for the impact. The cold water rushed up to meet the car, and the metal splashed into the dark depths. Hibari began banging on the window. The doors were locked. He couldn't get out. He flicked at the locks hurriedly, one hand wrapping around his mother's seatbelt and tugging at the clip. He could faintly hear his father roaring in agony, but he didn't care about the despicable man anymore. _

_Suddenly, all became eerily quiet. The water level in the car rose steadily, streaming through the cracks of the doors. Hibari jerked against his seatbelt as the car hit the bottom of the river. A warm hand encased his, and he saw that it was his father. His father's face was full of sadness and guilt. _

_"Forgive me." He said. _

_He reached over and unclipped Hibari's seatbelt, smashing the window with his bare hands. This is the first time he'd seen his father display such desperate strength. He'd known the man was strong, was a carnivore, but he'd never seen him smash glass with his bare hands. The shards floated around them, mixing with the redness running off his father's hand. Hibari's father shoved him out of the vehicle, watching as his son tumbled into the inky darkness of the water. His other hand desperately tried to unclip his wife's seatbelt as well, but it was jammed on something. _

_Hibari saw his mother push her head into the crook of his father's neck. His father sent him one last woeful glance and mouthed his last words. Hibari tumbled away and watched as the vehicle faded slowly from his views. "TOU-SAN! KAA-SAN!" He screamed, the scream ripping out of his throat in the form of bubbles. They couldn't hear him. The cold water was pressing against his chest, lifting him up and away, and the feeling was overwhelming and he couldn't breath._

It was the first time he ever froze time, Hibari realized.

_The youngest member of the Hibari family looked on as the bubbles froze in front of his face. The car is submerged completely in the water. The insides of the car is a mess of wires and floating limbs. Hibari could see the silhouette of his two parents, still locked in their embrace. They looked the perfect image of loving parents, if it weren't for the fact that they were currently underwater and drowning. Hibari found himself wishing that he'd seen them cuddle up like this at home. In this frozen world, he was the only one still moving, the natural buoyancy of his lungs bringing him closer to the surface. He cried, but the tears were lost against the watery setting._

_When he finally broke through the surface, he was no longer crying. _

"K..kumiko.." He found himself gasping. He reached for her still form, her mouth still open from her relieved gasps and her hands still slightly curved from her position of letting go of him. He wished he'd never told her to let go. He wanted her back and breathing beside him, right now. What if he was stuck in this frozen world forever, with no way of seeing her? What if he was doomed to wander the earth forever as the only person who could walk and move anymore, observing the rest of the people as they stayed lifelessly? What if his whole world became like a statue museum, and he was the only one left breathing anymore?

He pulled Kumiko into a tight embrace, immediately noting that she was warm. He held his breath and tangled his fingers into his hair. If she didn't move, then he didn't know what to do anymore.

To his relief, her chest resumed her rise and fall pattern, and Hibari let out a small breath, trying to keep his panic in check. He felt her try to lift her head and look at him, but he didn't want her to see his face just yet. He needed to get his mask of indifference back in place. His own chest heaved as he tried to contain the panic.

He had almost lost her.

* * *

><p>Reborn was largely ignored because at 8:29, Kyoko and Haru entered the room. They apologized for almost coming in late, like the polite, meek girls they were. Tsuna's eyes bulged as he saw Kyoko. He almost fainted in happiness, but Reborn quickly dunked a bucket of cold water over him, much to his and Gokudera's horror.<p>

Reborn sighed and cleared his throat once more.

"Alright. Everyone, except for Dame-Tsuna, of course, should know what we're about to do."

"HIIIIEEE! REBORN, WHY AM I THE ONLY ONE LEFT OUT?"

"Shut up, dame-student." Dino winced in empathy as Reborn kicked Tsuna in the side of his face, leaving a small red footprint. Tsuna hiccuped in fear and fell silent, his eyes following his spartan tutor's movements carefully.

"There's a bomb planted under Namimori-chuu. I've sent a disposal unit to deal with it, but since the exact location of the bomb is unknown, the disposal unit has been told to dismiss all students for a week in order to get rid of the bomb and ensuring the student's safety at the same time." Tsuna squealed in horror.

"HIE! Hibari-san must be so mad!"

"As a matter of fact, he is. Dame-Tsuna, you have to learn how to deal with angry guardians at least some point in your life. This will be good training."

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

The door slammed open, revealing Hibari and Kumiko. The room fell silent as all eyes turned to the couple. Reborn smirked. Kumiko 'eep'ed and hid behind Hibari. Hibari glared at all the occupants of the room, his steely gaze lingering on Mukuro, Chrome and Dino with distaste evident in his glower. Mukuro chuckled and weaved his way towards the poor girl behind him and patted her hair.

"Oya, glad to see that you're okay, Koizumi Kumiko. How are you feeling?"

She bobbed her head shyly and gently wrote '_I'm feeling alright. Thank you for the cranes' _on his arm. Mukuro lifted his arm and stared at the invisible writing with a chuckle. "No need to thank me. I wanted you to recover of my own will." Kumiko blushed a deeper shade of red and Mukuro gently pinched her cheek. Hibari swatted his hand away possessively and pushed Kumiko behind him, glaring daggers at Mukuro.

"Yo, Kyoya! Excited for the upcoming trip?" Dino sheepisly waved to his student, uncaring of the cold frowns that Hibari sent pointedly in at him. Mukuro took this chance to create a flower out of thin air and offer it to the shy girl. Kumiko took it hesitantly, before ducking behind Hibari once more. She couldn't tell if he was teasing her or trying to be friendly. Mukuro sauntered back to stand beside Chrome, observing the small girl's movements out of the corner of his eye. Kumiko was holding onto the back of Hibari's shirt, and whenever she let to of him, Hibari would turn around to look for her. Mukuro frowned and combed one hand through his hair in frustration. How is he going to get closer to her now?

Chrome followed Mukuro's gaze to see Kumiko and Hibari. Her heart pounded. Should she go greet the girl? They were friends, right? Why then, is she so scared of approaching that small brown girl? She clutched her trident and moved towards Hibari, only to be stopped as his tonfa swung towards her.

"Don't come near me, herbivore." He hissed. The rest of the room's occupants watched them with wide eyes. The silence is finally broken by none other than Sasagawa Ryohei.

"HIBARI! THAT'S NOT VERY NICE TO THE EXTREME! CHROME ONLY WANTS TO SAY HELLO TO THE EXTREME!" Hibari huffed and tugged Kumiko to the corner, leaning against the wall and pulling her securely to his chest. He pointedly ignored Chrome, who was looking lost and pitiful, still standing in the middle of the room and facing the now empty doorway. Instead, his arms locked around Kumiko, and Mukuro's heart sank even further. It seems that Hibari Kyoya has become even more possessive of Kumiko than before. He briefly wondered what happened to induce this change in him. The Hibari he thought he knew won't let anyone touch him without permission, and he wasn't very fond of physical interactions to begin with. Why is he so willing to have Kumiko constantly be touching him now? What caused this over-possessiveness?

Kyoko and Haru made their way over to Kumiko to say hello, and Kumiko shyly detached herself from Hibari's side and wandered over to where they were sitting. Mukuro narrowed his eyes as he saw something flash in Hibari's expression. Something akin to panic and fear. Hibari's hand twitched ever so slightly as if he wanted her back at his side.

"Hahi! Are you in a relationship with Hibari-san?"

"Mhm! You guys look so sweet together!"

Kumiko nodded and blushed as the two girls surrounded her and pestered her with questions. It ranged from what she had given Hibari-san for Valentines day, to which she could only shake her head. Haru 'hahi'ed and asked her if she gave him anything at all. Kumiko felt like choking. She didn't know what to say to that. Kyoko smiled at her and patted her on the arm condescendingly, turning to reprimand Haru for being so pushy. Kumiko edged away from them as their discussion went on a tangent, and they started discussing what she should give Hibari next Valentines day. Her face burned with embarrassment. Hibari had done so much for her, and yet she didn't do anything for him. Instead, he even gave her a box of chocolates.

"Herbivore, are you okay?"

His hand wrapped securely around her wrist. '_Sorry', _she wrote on his arm, ashamed that she hadn't gotten him anything. Hibari arched his eyebrow. "For what?"

'_I didn't give you anything for valentines day...'_

He snorted in disbelief. "I hate sweets anyway." She ducked her head, still guilty. '_I should have gotten you something, at least. It didn't have to be chocolates..."_

"This is one month ago, herbivore. What are you still worrying about?"

_I'm worried that I'm not good enough for you. I'm not pretty. I'm not talented. I like art. I'm a herbivore. I don't know anything. I'm not similar to you in anyway. __**I can't speak**__. _

"Nothing." He murmured in her ear. "Worry about nothing."

She pushed herself gently into his embrace and they stood there, arms holding each other tightly. Well, that is until their private moment is broken by various calls and comments from the occupants of the room. Hibari had totally forgotten about them.

"Hahah! They look good together, ne?"

"Hahi! They're so cute! Look at that, Kyoko-chan! Hahi~ If only Tsuna-san would hold me like that..."

"Mhm! They look really nice!"

"Tch. I thought he was asexual, that tonfa bastard."

"Hiiiee! Hibari-san's actually hugging a girl!"

"Oh, Kyoya! You found yourself a girlfriend? Why didn't you tell me?"

"THAT'S EXTREMELY ROMANTIC, HIBARI!"

"Kufufufu...getting a bit touchy-feely, are we, skylark?"

"Cl..cloud-man..."

Hibari snarled and almost dragged Kumiko out of the room and away. He never wanted to come in the first place. There was just something about Reborn. That akanbou demanded respect, and even Hibari would feel a chill up his spine to think of the things that would happen if he ever dared to disobey Reborn.

"Oi, everyone. Listen up. We're going to go to Mafia Land now. First, we have to go to the docks, where the ship to Mafia Land is docked. We're going to take a school bus."

Tsuna groaned and he was immediately kicked into the ground once more. Hibari sighed and dragged Kumiko after him. He collected their belongings from the motorcycle outside and passed them on to Yamamoto, who helped him pile it onto the back. Hibari made sure that the whole back row was to the two of them only, and growled at anyone who tried to come near the two of them. Kumiko pulled on his shirt when he tried to hit Mukuro for sitting in the row in front of them. He reluctantly tucked his tonfa away.

"I'm going to take a nap. Don't disturb me."

She nodded, one hand still on his shirt. After a moment of hesitation, he grabbed that hand and leaned against her, causing her to squeak in surprise. He smirked. "Don't disturb me, herbivore, or I'll punish you."

Laying down with his head on her lap and crossing his legs, he drifted off. Hibird floated through the window of the bus and landed on his stomach, also falling asleep. Kumiko played with his hair absentmindedly. She was at loss for what to do. She didn't want to jostle him awake, and so she tried to keep as still as possible, even when the bus went over a particularly bumpy part of the road.

"Everyone, the ride will take about 2 hours, so feel free to take a nap!" Reborn announced into a microphone, before falling asleep right on top of Tsuna's head, much to the brunette's horror.

* * *

><p>Thirteen minutes passed. Kumiko considered falling asleep, but if she leaned her head against the window, that left her twisted in a very uncomfortable situation with Hibari lying on her lap. If she leaned her head forward, her hair would tickle his face and probably wake him. She leaned backwards, but every jolt of the bus' movement jerked her awake once more. Her eyes kept on drooping shut sleepily.<p>

"Oya, you look really cute like that."

Mukuro peered over from the seat in front of her. She smiled sleepily at him, right hand still on Hibari's forehead.

"Want to play pictionary?"

And now her interest is sparked. She reached her hand out for the drawing pad that Mukuro passed over. "Kufufufu..do you mind if my dearest Nagi played with us?" She shook her head no. She didn't mind at all. She felt a little bit unsure of how she should feel about Chrome after the incident with the phone, but she supposed a little game won't hurt. "Let's make some rules. If I win this game and I guess more of your pictures, you have to reward me. If you win, I'll reward you. And if Nagi wins, we'll both reward her. Got it?" Kumiko nodded and Mukuro chuckled, picking a card out of thin air. "Oya, I got an easy one."

He quickly scribbled something on his drawing pad and showed it to Kumiko and Chrome. Kumiko giggled. Mukuro's drawing is atrocious. She could hardly make out what the unrecognizable lump is. But if that's a round body, and there are spikes coming out of the top...

"_Pineapple?" _She guessed.

"Mukuro-sama's hairstyle." Chrome countered.

Mukuro smirked at both of them. "Both wrong. This is a hedgehog."

Kumiko giggled some more and picked her card out of the box that Mukuro offered her. She frowned at the word and tapped her pencil against her chin thoughtfully. She picked out 'Metamorphosis'. She wondered how she even got such a complicated word. Shrugging, she sketched out a cocoon which turns into a butterfly, and she cautiously offered to Mukuro. He took it with a chuckle.

"Metamorphosis." He supplied instantly. Chrome shrugged and stayed silent. Kumiko cast glances of suspicion in Mukuro's direction. How could he have known so fast?

Chrome picked a card, and her eyes widened. She quickly sketched something on the drawing pad and then pushed it towards Mukuro first. Mukuro shrugged. "I have no idea. It's blank." Chrome took the pad back and squinted at it. Why is it blank? She had clearly drawn something on it. It was a simple word. She offered it to Kumiko, who took it and glanced at it quickly.

On the card, it said:

_You don't deserve to be his girlfriend. You should just die. _

* * *

><p>Hibari sat up sleepily. The bus is slowing down, and he could feel the motion in his body. Kumiko's fingers were interlocked with his right hand, so he brought his left one up to cover his mouth in a yawn. It was then that he realized she was shaking.<p>

"What's wrong?" He immediately murmured, pulling her into a hug. Her eyes were teary and her sleeve was blotched with wetness. He used his thumb and rubbed at the tears pooling in the corner of her eyes, willing her to stop crying. "What's wrong, herbivore? Tell me what's wrong." Hibari's eyes narrowed as he heard the two arguing illusionists in the seat in front of them. He immediately whipped out his tonfa and prepared to smash it into Mukuro's head. Their conversation caught his interest, and he lowered his weapon, listening intently to the hushed whispers.

"...cessary to write something that mean, Chrome." Chrome shook her head at Mukuro's words.

"I didn't write that, Mukuro-sama! The word I got wasn't even related..."

"What was the word you got?"

Chrome pushed the card towards Mukuro, and Mukuro took it carefully. "Oya. You got 'envy'."

Hibari snarled and leapt up, pinning Chrome to her seat with a livid glare. "What did you say to her. What did you say to her, you disgusting herbivore?" Kumiko hurriedly tried to pull him back onto his seat, but he shrugged her off, albeit gently. Kumiko wrapped her arms around his waist and tugged with all her might, but he refused to budge. Not until he gets the answer out of the revolting female vessel that was hurting his Kumiko.

"Oya, see for yourself."

_Even Mukuro-sama is angry at me. _Chrome could just tell by the way he gave her a sceptical look before passing the drawing pad over to Hibari. Her heart thudded. She didn't know what she did wrong. All she did was draw an angry face and then color it green. She thought that was the universal symbol for envy. Is she wrong? Hibari glanced at the note and his face twisted into one of utter fury. He ripped it off and crumpled it, throwing it back at Chrome as if it's very words burned him. And it did.

Chrome slowly unfolded the page. The green angry face stared back at her. She wondered what's wrong.

"Everyone, it's time to get off the bus! Please remember to take all your belongings!" Reborn chirped into the microphone. His eyes followed the movements of those in the back row in particular, noting the distraught expression on Chrome's face, Kumiko's teary eyes, Hibari's enraged face and Mukuro's deeply unsettled expression.

He wondered what happened.

* * *

><p>Kumiko watched as the water lapped at the board. She cautiously placed one foot on the flimsy board, laughing softly when the board moved to the right with the motion of the waves. Suddenly, she slipped. Hibari caught her and Mukuro steadied her. She nodded thanks to both of them and missed the look of competition that passed between the two males.<p>

Once on board the_ S.S. Vongola, _everyone was allocated rooms to stay in. Reborn informed them that it would be an overnight trip, because Mafia Land is quite far away from Japan. He refused to disclose any other information, saying that it was agreed between the families that owned the land that only the captain of the ships knew exactly where it is.

Kumiko tighten the straps on her bag, feeling slightly overwhelmed. Everything was grand and fabulous. There were chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, individual crystals catching the light and throwing miniature rainbows onto the walls of the dining hall. Each table is laid with a velvety tablecloth and a bottle of wine sat atop the table, ready for the diners to use. Various statues marked the room. The floor was covered thickly with soft carpet. Each step she took felt almost like a bounce. The walls of the hall were marked with stainless glass windows, depicting the blue skies and rippling oceans outside. She ran happily over to a window and peered out. She fancied she could see the seagulls wheeling in the sky and the small fish darting in and out of the coral underneath the rolling waves.

"Stay with us, herbivore." Hibari called, smiling ever so slightly when she skipped back to his side and grabbed his free hand. Truth be told, Hibari was feeling slightly nauseous. He rarely got seasick, but he kept on imagining what would happen if the ship sank. Would he only be able to watch as his beloved Kumiko sank beneath the waves, her limbs floating lifelessly? The accident is why he chose to use motorcycles. With motorcycles, he didn't have to fear being unable to attach himself from the vehicle. If he ever accidentally drove off a bridge or something, he would be able to simply let go of the handlebars.

Kumiko squeezed his hand excitedly and dragged him over to a statue. She started gesturing wildly, much to his amusement. Even though he couldn't understand a word she was saying, he nodded at her once in a while. Seemingly satisfied, she skipped off to the next location. Hibari found himself staring at a rose pinned to her bag. He wondered how that got there.

* * *

><p>"Tsuna, you're in room 127. Gokudera, you're in room 159. Hibari, room 118. Dino, room 1D. Kyoko and Haru, you're both in room 186. Yamamoto, room 180. Mukuro, room 169. Chrome and Kumiko, room 196. Sorry about the spread out layout of our rooms, but it would be too troublesome to complain now. We're all on the same floor anyway."<p>

Kumiko took the key offered her, feeling the cold, jagged metal against her hand. She peeked at Chrome out of the corner of her eye, seeing that Chrome had no reaction to being roomed with her. Her heart sank. She was pretty sure Chrome hated her guts, for some reason. Chrome hated the fact that she was in a relationship with Hibari. She was scared of rooming with Chrome.

Hibari snarled. "Akanbou, I object to Kumiko being roomed with that vessel." Chrome flinched and Reborn sighed.

"Suck it up, Hibari. There's nothing we can do about it."

"She'll room with me."

"Hm. If you want, then go and move her bed yourself." Hibari huffed and stalked off in the direction of room 196. Kumiko tried to follow him, but he ordered her to unpack in room 118. She trailed off uncertainly, her back sagging. He tossed the key back to Kumiko, and she handed the previous room key she was holding to Chrome. She felt guilty as she caught Chrome's upset reaction. But she still couldn't get Chrome's words out of her mind.

_No matter what, I'm not giving Hibari-san to her._

She jerked in surprise at the thought that suddenly appeared in her mind. Determination welled inside her. _**No matter what, I'm not letting Chrome have him. Hibari-san is my boyfriend. **_It felt faintly relieving to say this to herself. She felt stronger, more confident. But something really felt off. She somehow just thinks that Chrome should not be acting this way. It's the same feeling she gets when Hibari suddenly becomes really violent or really angry, or when Mukuro is forcing himself upon her and not paying attention to what he's doing, even though he's scaring her.

Mukuro followed her discreetly, casting glances back at Hibari's receding figure. Chrome chose to tail Hibari. Mukuro grimaced when he saw that Chrome is following Hibari. He thought he'd made it clear to Chrome that Hibari and him were in a fair competition, and that he didn't want Chrome to try and seduce him or break them apart anymore. Truth be told, he was also quite disappointed in Chrome's actions. He didn't know that the girl could be so harsh, especially to such a sweet little thing like Kumiko. He wondered if all the mistakes she was making, leaving her in the cafe at such a late hour, sending Hibari the wrong images, staying home when Mukuro decided to go pay a sick Kumiko a visit, was on purpose. He wondered, if it's so, what was her motive in trying to do these things.

Kumiko opened the door to Hibari's room with fumbling hands. She was still a bit nervous at the prospect of staying in a room with Hibari, even though she knew that he wouldn't do anything to her, and that he would be perfectly safe to room with. Somehow, the idea of sleeping in the same room as her boyfriend was alien to her. The last time she had spent the night at his house was because she was sick and couldn't take care of herself. Blushing, she set her bag down on the floor beside the bed. She patted the bed and found that the sheets were incredibly soft. Excitement overtook her. She clambered onto the bed after taking her shoes off and started jumping on the mattress. Childish delight overtook her worried feelings and she let out a cry of joy as she almost touched the ceiling.

"Kufufufu..you're adorable, you know?"

Mukuro was leaning against the doorframe, watching her jump on Hibari's mattress. She is adorable. Sometimes she would show maturity beyond her years, but sometimes she would display this childish innocence and she would do something completely unexpected. Kumiko quickly slid off the bed and dusted it off, blushing.

Mukuro wrapped his arms around her waist and buried his head in her neck. She froze, trembling slightly.

"On behalf of Chrome, I would like to apologize." He whispered, pushing her down onto the bed and running his lips along her cheek. Kumiko squirmed and managed to kick him away slightly. Mukuro straightened. His eyes shone. There was that predatory glimmer in his eyes that made her become wary of him, she realized. She backed away slowly as Mukuro advanced towards her.

"Are you scared of me?" He asked in a low and husky voice. She is confused now. She grabs a pillow off the bed and shields her body with it, watching helplessly and stumbling backwards as Mukuro continued to back her into a wall. Finally, she's trapped. She hugs the pillow tightly as Mukuro places his hands on either side of her, encasing her within his reach. "It's unfair, how he has you all to himself."

Suddenly, Mukuro's eyes shone with realization. "Where's my reward, Koizumi Kumiko? If I do recall, you lost that pictionary game."

Kumiko shook her head weakly as Mukuro leaned in closer. Her heart thudded. He was extremely close to her. His hand came up to grip her face, but it wasn't rough or demanding. She was frozen, half willing him to go away, half horribly fascinated as to what would happen next. Mukuro leaned forwards, his eyes becoming half lidded and full of an indiscernible expression. His lips were on hers, slowly drawing her into a deep kiss. His tongue played with her tongue, stroking the sides of her mouth tantalizingly.

Suddenly, he pulled backwards. "Sorry. I just..." He pinned her arms to her sides, his eyes widening. "I can't...control myself..." Without warning, he slammed his lips back onto hers. Kumiko let out a cry. It was different this time. Even though she could tell Mukuro was resisting something inside him, trying to stop himself from plundering her lips and causing her pain, he couldn't help but force himself inside her mouth eagerly. Kumiko coughed and stay still, waiting for Mukuro to pull away. She wondered if she was doing the right thing, letting Mukuro do as he pleased with her to satisfy the monster inside him.

Mukuro pulled away soon and pushed his head into her neck. "I'm sorry." He muttered once more, his words muffled against her neck. Kumiko was still hugging the pillow tightly. She hoped Mukuro wouldn't try to touch her or anything, because then she would hate him forever. Then she would view him as someone no better than the people Nakamura hired to rape her. She was surprised when Mukuro pulled her into a warm embrace. She didn't feel safe as she did in Mukuro's arms, but she felt content, for some reason. "Sorry." He apologized again.

She forgave him.

* * *

><p>"Wait outside, degenerate." Hibari ordered Chrome. Chrome obediently went to lean against the wall, her arms wrapping around herself. She wanted Hibari to love her, to hold her like he does to Kumiko. Why Kumiko anyway? Why not her?<p>

Hibari disappeared into the room, shutting the door with a final click. She shook her head. She really shouldn't but she really wanted to just be in the same room, same bedroom as Hibari for once. With a sigh, she disappeared into the mist and reappeared right beside the skylark. Hibari turned around and immediately swung his tonfa at her.

"Why do you love her? I'm better than her in every way. I'm stronger. I'm prettier. I'm more useful. I know how to use illusions. I know about using the mist flames. I know about the mafia." She found herself rambling as she blocked Hibari's blows. She wanted him to want her. She wanted him to leave Kumiko's side and come to hers. She wanted him to hold her and kiss her and whisper sweet nothings into her ear. She wanted Hibari Kyoya to be hers.

"Shut up." Hibari was saying. "You cannot compare to Kumiko. She's better than you. You are the pitiful weakling."

Rage flickered within her. Is she now? Is she? Chrome will prove him wrong. Chrome will show Hibari Kyoya how mistaken he was to love such a weakling as Koizumi Kumiko.

"I can talk. She can't."

"You don't have guts. You're dependent on Rokudo Mukuro." Hibari countered immediately.

That hurt her more than anything.

_Why? Why her and not me?_

* * *

><p>AN: Thanks to all those who reviewed in my previous update! **Bree Renee, xXBloodyIllusionXx, starish-sky, Rotten Heresy and Chocolate, Clair Kingsleigh, SabbiiEatzCookies, TunaSFX **(who, I might mention, has decided to review every single one of my chapters. Thanks so much! I feel so honored...) **and Sushi Lover.**

*****Akanbou - baby. This is how Hibari addresses Reborn most of the time.

To Sushi Lover: HAPPY (erm, late?) BIRTHDAY! I'm glad I managed to update on your birthday, and I'm glad you enjoy reading my story XD


	24. Finality

Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.

Rating: T

* * *

><p>Finality<p>

* * *

><p>Kumiko sat on the floor, cross legged. Her bag was open beside her, and she was organizing her clothes. Never mind that she only had a few clothing items, she was a neat person and she liked everything to be in order. Mukuro watched her, sitting across from her and smiling slightly as she folded the sleeves of the shirt immaculately. Once it was in a perfectly square shape, she piled it onto the pile of shirts beside her. Mukuro noted that there were only 3 shirts in that pile.<p>

"Kufufufu..I forgot to hand this back to you. Remember our 'date' during your hospital stay?"

He passed over the paper bag. Kumiko took it hesitantly, weighing it in her palm. Once satisfied that it wasn't a whole truckload of clothes, she cracked open the bag and peered inside. She had forgotten what outfit she had chosen. She vaguely recalled something light blue...To her complete delight, it was a pair of nice light blue shorts with a purple t-shirt sporting a matching pattern on it. Blue and purple. Her favorite colors.

She smiled at him wholeheartedly, quickly spreading out the clothes to add them to the pile growing beside her. The shirt and the shorts were very plain, but she didn't mind. She wasn't one to pay any attention to her fashion sense anyway.

"Oya, you're not going to try it on now?"

She shook her head while continuing to fold the shirt into a perfect little square and depositing it onto the pile. Mukuro hummed and leaned his head on his hand. A flash of color caught his eye, and he dragged her bag over curiously. Kumiko let out a small whimper of protest. Mukuro chuckled and tipped out the rest of her belongings, most of which consisted of her underwear. To the girl's relief, he merely pushed the underwear towards her and slowly picked up the colorful objects. Kumiko scrabbled to collect her items of clothing, pushing them behind her back and turning her back on Mukuro so that he wouldn't see what it was that she was folding. She didn't like the idea of showing Mukuro such a private piece of her life. Heck, she wouldn't be comfortable with showing Hibari her underwear either. Blushing like crazy, she continued her desperate attempts to hide the panties. Mukuro considered reaching over the girl's shoulder and grabbing one off the top of the pile, but quickly dismissed the idea. He was still quite ashamed of how he'd tried to force himself upon her. He should consider himself lucky to still be in her presence. Anyway, even though Mukuro would like to get to know Kumiko's undergarments better, something else caught his attention this time.

Seven cranes. One of each color of the rainbow. Mukuro smirked and lined them up, laying them out in their correct order. Kumiko hurriedly folded her underwear, blushing, and shoved them underneath the shirt pile. Once done, she stood up quickly and shoved them into a drawer, before quickly throwing herself onto the bed and giggling when she bounced off immediately. She bounced right into Mukuro's arms, much to her surprise. The illusionist stiffened and placed her gently in front of him. Kumiko noted that he moved back a few spaces so that there was a distance between them. She blushed. She supposed Mukuro was still quite sensitive after what he'd done to her. She herself couldn't figure out his actions for the life of her. She knew that Mukuro liked her, of course, but she didn't know why he kept on being so forward about it when she was clearly with Hibari. Shaking her head, she refused to let that matter get to her. Mukuro could tell her when he figured it out for himself. At least he'd apologized. Now they could stay friends, couldn't they?

"Oya, you kept these. I suppose the rest of them are still at Hibari's house?" She nodded. Somehow, she felt like she should've taken all 1000 of those cranes, but of course, Hibari would probably be annoyed with her for putting so much extra weight into her bag. So she had opted to take only 1 of each of the colors there were, feeling safe when she finally collected all seven colors of the rainbow. Somehow, having a complete set made her feel whole as well. She supposed it was another one of her quirks, along with her affinity with paintings and all things colorful. That's probably why she wanted one of each color. Truth be told, Kumiko loved all colors equally. She just things that blue and purple go exceptionally well together, and therefore she has decided to make that her favorite matching pair of colors.

"How are you going to bring it around? Aren't you scared that you might lose one?" Mukuro was unfolding the cranes, much to her horror. She snatched them back and tried to place them together once more, her fingers rubbing at the creases. From her jerky movements, Mukuro could tell she was upset. She was trying and failing to put her lucky charm back together. The more she tried to put it back into a crane shape, the more the creases seemed to fold the other way. She hiccuped in frustration and flattened the origami paper once more, folding it slowly and trying to make sure that the edges match up. She wanted her cranes back. Why did Mukuro unfold them? They were important to her!

Her eyes started tearing up unconsciously. She was frustrated. She needed her lucky charm. She didn't even have any idea why she deemed the cranes so important to her. But now that they were unfolded, she felt as if the 1000 cranes holding her sickness at bay was missing one of their rank, and her sickness is going to come back now.

Mukuro stared at her, eyes widened, as she struggled. His hands shook. He didn't want to touch her. What if he hurt her? What if he...what if he molested her? What if? He hadn't known that Kumiko valued his cranes so much. With the way she's acting, it's almost as if...

She coughed, shaking her head and continuing to try and fold the crane back into shape. Mukuro jerked in shock. It's almost as if her sickness is coming back to her. Her face became red and feverish once more, her coughs coming more frequently. When she pressed a hand to her throat, confused with the current development of her physical state, Mukuro's heart felt like it was tearing in half. He caused this, by mindlessly destroying a paper charm. Does the charm even work if there aren't 1000 cranes? Can he even put it back together?

She coughed, harder. The coughs wracked her body and she wheezed to get her lungs working again. Her hands started shaking. Without thinking, Mukuro pulled her against his body and rubbed her back, hoping that this simple motion would help her clear her lungs. With his other hand, he scooped up the now very wrinkled piece of paper. Kumiko coughed into his shirt, and he patted her on the back, almost as if he was begging her to stop suffering. Mukuro groaned when he failed to fold the crane with one hand. But he really liked the feeling of being able to hold her tightly against himself without her trying to resist his touch. In fact, Kumiko was clutching onto him as her airway got tighter and tighter. He folded desperately, creasing the edges cleanly and pulling the abused piece of paper back into it's original bird shape.

He pressed it against her chest as if hoping that the very action of keeping the paper close to her would heal her. It didn't work. He watched as she started coughing up blood, the red liquid spilling onto his shirt. Her eyes blinked at him, flashing a multitude of emotions. Pain. Anger. Sadness. Hatred. Where's love? Where's friendship? Why is it all so negative?

And finally, her coughing stilled. Her previously convulsing body stiffened and her flesh grew cold. Mukuro let out a choked laugh, still in shock. He killed her. He killed his Kumiko, the girl he loved so dearly. He killed her...

* * *

><p>A gentle hand shook him awake. Mukuro jerked upright and saw Kumiko's brown eyes staring worriedly into his. Somewhere between watching her fold her shirts and studying her innocently concentrated expression (which, he might add, is the most adorable thing he's ever seen. She tended to furrow her eyebrows and stick the tip of her tongue out of the side of her mouth when she's folding clothes, particularly when she's trying to line up a crease), he had fallen asleep. He waved a hand in front of his mouth as he yawned. Kumiko smiled and sat back on her heels, tilting her head when she saw Mukuro bolt upright suddenly.<p>

"Cranes?" It was her turn to jerk in surprise. How did he know about the cranes? She reached her hand into her bag (which was sitting neatly by the side of Hibari's bed, Mukuro noted) and pulled out a handful of the beautiful paper origami.

_What was that? A nightmare? A premonition? _

"Are you feeling alright?" Kumiko tilted her head again curiously. What is he talking about? Mukuro suddenly reached out and pulled her into a hug. This time, he was careful to keep his face turned away from her neck. He didn't know if he could resist the urge to ravish her if he turned his face towards her smooth skin. But now that he found that he could breathe properly again, no longer weighed with the feeling. He kept on wondering whether that was a dream. If it was, it was horrible. He was starting to question his own unconscious thoughts.

"_Are you okay? Are you sleepy?" _

Mukuro checked the clock on the wall, wincing when he saw that he had slept for 30 minutes already. Hibari hadn't come back from bringing Kumiko's bed from Chrome's room. He wondered briefly why he wasn't coming. Something must have held him back. Even so, Mukuro willed himself not to take advantage of the situation. He wanted Kumiko to trust him, not fear him. He wanted Kumiko to love him, if only as a friend, not hate him for imposing himself upon her.

He was surprised when he felt Kumiko start to relax against him. Previously, the girl had stiffened at all his attempts on an intimate relationship, opting to push him away or slap him or stiffen in order to deter him from continuing with his actions. Right now, she seemed almost cooperative, her hands lopping gently around his back. She wasn't pulling him closer, but she wasn't pushing him away either. Mukuro supposed this was an improvement. She seemed to trust him more, which is funny, considering that he'd just recently pushed her against a wall and kissed her forcibly.

_Maybe she can sense fear, or worry, or distraught feelings. _

It was an interesting notion. Maybe, to make up for the lack of her speaking abilities, Kumiko had a more sensitive side when it comes to the emotional well-being of those around her. Mukuro gently pushed her away. She moved backwards immediately, content to sit and stare at him, watching his face for any sign of distress.

"I'm fine. Are you?" She nodded, staying still when Mukuro couldn't resist putting his hand against her forehead. He half expected it to be burning with fever, and was pleasantly surprised by the coolness of her skin. She smiled shakily when Mukuro sighed and stood up. It was then that he caught sight of the cranes, spilled beside Kumiko. The colors were all clashing with each other, red overlapping orange overlapping blue. Mukuro bent down and picked up the cranes. Even though he knew that his dream was silly, that it was just some nonsense that his brain was making up to scare him into taking her forcibly, he wanted those cranes by her side at all times. In a way, it's like having a piece of his wish by her all the time. Noting the withered flower pinned to the front of her bag, Mukuro smirked. So Kumiko didn't dislike him as much as he'd thought she did.

Kumiko watched as Mukuro carefully arranged the cranes in front of her, as if preparing to do a strange ritual. She squirmed uncomfortably when his gaze came to meet her eyes a couple of times, as if assuring her that everything is going to be alright. She certainly hoped he wasn't going to set the cranes on fire. She quite liked those paper origami models...

He set them on fire. She let out a surprised shriek, and automatically reached out to bat the fire away. Mukuro stopped her by grabbing her wrist, his eyes narrowed in concentration. A bead of sweat rolled down the side of his face. If only he could do this...

The cranes shrank to the size of fingernails and the fire disappeared. Mukuro let out a triumphant chuckle and snapped his fingers, letting a little glass bottle appear in his palm. Taking the now small models, he plopped them one by one into the mouth of the bottle, before snapping his fingers once more and corking the bottle. He handed it to Kumiko on a leather string.

"You can wear it as a necklace. Or a bracelet. Whichever you choose."

Kumiko clapped and laughed. She took the bracelet and looped it around her right wrist. The little bottle fell against her skin with a barely audible click, the contents of the bottle clinking against the glass of the jar softly. Kumiko lifted it up to her eyes and observed it with curiosity, smiling when the bottle shook slightly and jostled the rainbow cranes inside. She liked having her charm with her. Without thinking about it, she moved forward and hugged Mukuro in thanks. Mukuro stiffened in surprise, feeling her head fall against his chest. She jumped back as soon as he stiffened, giggling when he made a grab for her and missed as she ducked.

Mukuro chased her around the room and finally cornered her in front of the window.

"Kufufufu...what should I make you do? You naughty little girl, running away from me like that..."

Kumiko clambered onto the narrow marble windowsill and wobbled along it, her bare feet tapping against the cold marble. She tried to leap over Mukuro, but he deftly caught her leg and she tumbled into him.

She grimaced, hoping that he wouldn't kiss her or anything. She didn't want to flirt with Mukuro. Honestly, though she enjoyed Mukuro's company since he could perform all those amazing tricks with his illusionary skills, she didn't have any romantic interest in the bluenette. Mukuro knew that. Mukuro knew he would have to get her affection some other way.

So he tickled her. Peals of her laughter bounced off the walls as Mukuro refused to relinquish his hold on her. In all honesty, he thinks this was the closest he would ever get to Kumiko. And he was fine with it. Well, for now anyway.

Mukuro has a plan. A plan that will eventually make sure that he and Kumiko get together. And best of all, there is no dirty play involved in between.

* * *

><p>"Cloud-man...can I call you Hibari?"<p>

"No." Hibari slammed the end of his tonfa into Chrome's head. Or what he thought was Chrome's head. To his amazement, Chrome managed to dodge the weapon. She spun away gracefully, and Hibari found himself following her movements as if mesmerized. He shook his head and growled, trying to get rid of the illusion in his mind. He knew Chrome was using her skills to enhance her image. Chrome is now projecting the image of a perfect woman. Her lips are delicate, smooth and irresistible. Her body had deep curves and light accentuation on her hips and her chest.

Hibari was immune to all this seduction, unfortunately for Chrome. She hissed, frustrated, as Hibari tried to slice open her stomach with a set of modified blades on his tonfas. She leapt on top of the table, flashing her skirt tantalizingly in his direction. She knew that wearing such short material would come into handy one day or another. She never thought this day would come so soon.

_I'm in a room all alone with Hibari Kyoya. How lucky of me!  
><em>  
>"Never mind that. Can I call you Kyoya? Kyooooyyyyyaaa-kun~" She purred, smirking when he snarled in irritation and ran towards her. Just a few more seconds and she would have him trapped in an illusion she knew he wouldn't want to break. Just a few more seconds.<p>

Hibari was pumped full of rage. His emotions flowed freely through his actions, waves of death intent rolled off him and built up in the room. His ring was aflame, but he couldn't be bothered to bring out his box weapon. He wanted to catch that female illusionist and beat her bloody with his own two tonfas. Only then would he feel satisfied. That bitch decided to insult his Kumiko and make him cry, and then tried to flirt with him _yet again. _He didn't know what to make of it. A part buried deep within him questioned his actions. Is she really worth it? When did she become so open about things like this? When did she even have the courage to speak to him? He vaguely tried to match up this..._thing_with the shy girl that he once knew. The Chrome that would stutter whenever anyone tried to talk to her. The Chrome that would blush at any random acts of kindness that any of the members of the Vongola Family would show her. The Chrome that tried to help others as best she can. The Chrome that had gotten hurt, risking her life to save a small animal. Where is that Chrome?

"Kyoya-kun, look at me."

Her eye is _blue. _Her once purple eye is blue. Not even the same shade as Mukuro's blue. It was darker, colder, more sinister. It reminded Hibari of the bubbles that he'd seen just before he watched his parents drown right before his own eyes. It's almost black. Inky, swirling, mysterious, hateful. The darkness that choked him in its icy grip. He isn't scared anymore.

With a roar of anger, he continued his relentless attack. He was no longer trying to control his swings. He wanted to destroy her. Chrome's room started getting ripped apart, the ornaments on the side tables smashed onto the floor. The wallpaper, spotted with a beautifully plain pattern of the Vongola crest, is ripped and scraped, thrust to the side. The mirror of the bathroom shatters when Hibari decides to throw his tonfa and misses her head by a mere inches.

_A few more seconds, Kyoya, and you can come and play with me. _

Hibari stumbled forward on an overturned chair, and Chrome moved forward to catch him. He tried to move out of her way, but then it wasn't Chrome catching him anymore. It was Kumiko. She staggered as his weight fell against her. Kumiko winced and pushed him upright. Hibari pulled away from her and stared. And stared and stared and stared. Why is Kumiko here? He remembered that he told her to go to his room first. Why is she here? She should be safe. She shouldn't be witnessing this.

Kumiko stared into his eyes as he straightened and brushed himself off. He looked around for Chrome, and saw the illusionist standing slightly to the side, her eyes closed and her trident grasped lightly to her chest. Hibari started for her immediately. "Herbivore?" Kumiko buried her head in his chest and started sobbing. Chrome covered her mouth as her eyes trailed down to the brunette's leg. To Hibari's horror, it was covered in blood. There was no visible wound, and he was almost too apprehensive of what he would find to observe the blood properly. He quickly lifted her and asked Chrome to call a medic. He didn't care about destroying anything anymore. His Kumiko is hurt and bleeding and crying. He needed to get help for her fast.

"Are you sure you should be doing that, Cloud-man?"

As he picked her up, he heard Kumiko's spine snap. Her eyes widened and Hibari dropped her out of sheer shock. She spilled onto the floor, her limbs broken and mangled. Her eyes stared back at him, disbelief battling with pain, hurt and confusion. "Did you break her bones? Why did you do that?" Chrome's voice called out from the other side of the room. Hibari knew then that it was an illusion. Still, he couldn't bring himself to smash Kumiko's skull. Not when she's lying so helplessly on the floor. Not when she's so hurt and in pain. Not when she's pleading with him. There's something about her eyes that draws him away from violence. It's the same emotion he saw crossing his older self's eyes when he was about to shoot her. How could he? Her eyes seemed to ask him. _I can't. _His expression seemed to reply.

Chrome smirked. She finally found Hibari Kyoya's weakness, it seemed.

"Cloud-man," She called, her voice sickly sweet. It's not Chrome that's speaking, Hibari knew. But he loathed her. He loathed her for giving in to the temptation of letting the monster inside her control her actions. He loathed her for letting the monster inside her hurt Kumiko. He didn't care so much for Chrome hurting himself. But as the image of Kumiko's teary eyes flashed into his mind, accentuated with the image of a sobbing and injured Kumiko on the floor in front of him.

And then suddenly, she froze. Kumiko's hand were in the middle of wiping at her eyes. It was only then that Hibari realized that Kumiko's left hand isn't in a cast, and that Chrome had missed out this detail in order to show Hibari the broken arm in a more dramatic setting. Hibari snarled and tried to bring his tonfa down on her head, but he's choked with fear now. The frozen stillness of the statue could only mean one thing. He has frozen time again.

"Oh, it's not you, Cloud-man."

"I hate you." He snarled. He kept his eyes on Kumiko. Even though he knew that the world is frozen, he wanted her to get up and start moving. Even though he knew that she's an illusion, he didn't want her to be lying there, with her hands up in the air, with her eyes so imploring and pitiful. He didn't want her to mirror his mother's face just before she looked back, or his father's apologetic smile as he unbuckled his son's seatbelt and sent him tumbling to live his life once more. He didn't want to see her so vulnerable and lost. He didn't want to lose her. He stroked one of her bloodied arms. He heard a sharp gasp and realized that it was himself. Kumiko's arms were slowly crumbling. Her mouth unfroze.

"HIBARI-SAN, SAVE M..." And then her face crumbled. Into ash. Into nothing. This illusion was hurting him more than the sakura tree illusion ever did. Hibari fell forward onto his knees and clenched his hands into her brown tresses, until they too disintegrated. Chrome stomped her foot and the ashes of Kumiko's body blew away and swirled around the room. Nothing. Chrome sauntered over, lazily running one hand down his chest. "Now it's only me and you in the whole world. We're the only ones still living. Isn't that great? Don't you want to stay with me now? We have the same abilities!"

"Kufufufufu..you forgot about me, my dearest Nagi. I, unfortunately for you, have no qualms about hitting you." Mukuro's trident was brought down on Chrome's head, and Chrome staggered into his waiting arms. Hibari stumbled backwards, only to immediately push his tonfa towards Chrome's unprotected head. A trident clashed with his blow and he let out a snarl of irritation. He didn't want to be lead around by the illusionists' tricks anymore. He was tired of being tricked over and over.

"Oya. Go back to her. This isn't Nagi's fault. There's something wrong with her."

"As if I'd accept your explanation, degenerate."

"You'll have to for now. Go back to her. She's waiting in your room."

"Hn."

His face is once again a mask of indifference. He didn't wear his shocked expression anymore. He prided himself in the fact that he could recover so quickly. His heart was still thudding quickly, but his breathing is even and his steps are steady. He strode out the door and disappeared down the corridor, his footsteps muffled against the soft carpet.

* * *

><p>Kumiko's legs were hanging off the end of the bed. A packet of M&amp;Ms peanuts lay open beside her. She knew she wasn't supposed to take randomly from the minibar, but she was so hungry, having skipped breakfast and lunch. Besides, she absolutely cannot resist chocolate. She dangled her legs lazily. In her hands was a book, one that she'd found when going through Hibari's luggage. To her utter delight, the book was not boring at all. In fact, it's about a brilliant strategist that's designing a war meant to thwart the enemy. She knew that Hibari liked violent books, but she didn't know that the plot of the book would be so satisfyingly complicated either. Soon, she'd become immersed in the book, though she's only read three pages so far.<p>

"Herbivore."

Upon hearing his tired voice, she sheepishly shut the book and pushed it onto the bed beside her, bouncing on the bed a few times to get herself upright and laughing when she saw that the book bounced along with her. She grabbed the M&Ms packet and carefully placed it on the table, before turning around to greet her boyfriend. Her eyes widened upon seeing that Hibari was covered head to toe with ash. He has a thin scratch on his arm as well, but nothing major and not a lot of blood. Nonetheless, she was horrified all the same. She hated it when people got hurt. _Especially my Hibari-san..._

Rushing over, she hurriedly dipped a clean towel in water and attempted to mop the ash off his cheeks. Hibari pushed her hand away impatiently and slammed his lips into hers. She gasped and he was immediately inside her mouth. He was kissing her, hurriedly, desperately, roughly. She didn't really like it. She liked it better when Hibari was more careful. But he looked like he needed something. So she just stood still and waited until he broke off, panting. She was breathing heavily too. Hibari's eyes flashed something akin to panic and he stepped closer, cupping her face in his hands. His thumbs smoothed over something on her cheek, and with a smile, she realized that he'd gotten ash onto her cheeks as well. Hibari let out an animalistic growl and pressed his lips to hers again, but this time it was a lot slower and a lot softer. His eyes slid shut, and Kumiko clenched her eyes shut as well. He's being so careful. It's almost as if she would break under his touch. One of his arms went to cradle her back, lingering on her bra strap before moving downwards and following her spine. It sent shivers up her nerves, the way Hibari was touching her ever so gently.

Courage laced through her. Surprised at her sudden determination and fierce need for retaliation, Kumiko could only follow her instincts. A mixture of pleasure and confusion hit her as she began intensifying the kiss out of her own will, her tongue battling Hibari's instead of letting him plunder her mouth as she usually did. Hibari's eyes snapped open with the sudden fierceness in her actions, and he let out a low chuckle of delight.

"Didn't know you had it in you."

Her pants told him that she wasn't expecting it either. Hibari pushed her onto the bed and hovered over her, still kissing her. "I'm dominant. Don't ever forget that." He murmured into the kiss, his mouth forming the shapes of the letters against her lips. Kumiko nodded and he resumed his ministrations. Hibari placed one hand on her stomach, keeping her pinned to the bed. His lips roamed over her face and her neck down to her collarbone and he bit down hard. She arched her back and whimpered, but the whimpers of pain soon died down to moans of pleasure as Hibari found her sensitive spot and started nibbling and teasing her. He stroked her stomach, and then abruptly poked her in the side. With a yelp, Kumiko sat up, her forehead colliding with Hibari's forehead. She fell back with a small whimper, while Hibari didn't even flinch. He took this opportunity to corner her beneath his torso, grinning as he picked out which spot of her he would like to snack on next.

_Maybe her fingers?_

* * *

><p>"Explain, Nagi. You've been acting really weird these past days. It's not like you to be so flirtatious, and I thought I made it clear that you had to stay away from Hibari from now on. I wish to compete for Koizumi Kumiko's heart <em>fairly.<em>"

Chrome flinched, her fingers playing with the hem of her dress. Her head is ducked with shame. She really didn't understand what she had been doing before. She didn't understand the emotions that had overrun her. It was like Mukuro had taken over her mind, leaving her body in his control. It was like she had no control at all.

"I'm scared, Mukuro-sama." She whispered. Mukuro's eyes softened and he reached forward to gently stroke her cheek with two fingers. When Chrome reached for his hand, however, Mukuro pulled back immediately. She blinked, tears pooling at the edges of her eye. She blinked, and those tears came cascading down in a thin waterfall of salty liquid. Mukuro gently tilted her head up so that she could look him in the eyes.

"Look at me, dearest Chrome. I'm not angry at you. I just want you to be clear of the situation." She nodded silently, her head moving robotically.

"I feel envy, Mukuro-sama. I feel jealous of Kumiko...san."

"Kufufufu...you do display the traits of Envy. Envy, with a capital E."

"E...Envy?"

"Do you know of the seven deadly sins?"

"No..."

"Well, let me tell you a story, my dearest Nagi. Once upon a time, there were 7 time travellers. Because of their unimaginable power, they were imbued with the 7 sins. They were counted upon to be able to balance their emotional darkness with their power and therefore create their own personalities, coming to live on the earth as..."

"Normal humans, right, Mukuro?"

"Sun arcobaleno. Hmm...I see you've heard this tale before?"

"It's a mystery older than that of the seven Arcobalenos. Of course I have. Many Famiglias in the past have fought over this power. The power to control space and time is the greatest power of all. In the end, if I recall properly, the council was split into the 7 head families, each family with their own sin to take care of. Since the Vongola Family posesses the greatest power, the Vongola was assigned 'Wrath', the most difficult of sins to deal with."

"Oya, you do know a lot. Can you diagnose poor Chrome here?"

"She's definitely Envy. You are Lust, Rokudo Mukuro. Lust and Envy sometimes coexist side by side. It matches with your situation perfectly. Without one, the other couldn't have existed, no? Without your vessel, you would've never gotten out of Vindice. Without you, Chrome never could have lived. Without lust, people would have no need for envy. Without envy, people would not lust after ones they don't have."

"Oya, that does make sense. I'm in love with her. It's a mixture of my sin attribute as well as my future self's feelings. I'm in love with her. I've been confused about my actions whenever I see Koizumi Kumiko, but now it all makes sense, doesn't it? I've been trying to kiss her all the time. It's unbearable when I'm in the same vicinity as her, impossible when I'm close to her. I want to make love to her."

"Hm. You have a difficult contender, Rokudo Mukuro. Because if I'm not mistaken, I see that Hibari is Wrath."

"Kufufufu...it's fitting."

"M..Mukuro-sama..."

"So yes, there are others. I have already located some other contenders for the positions of the other sins."

"Kufufufu...care to share?"

"Not until they're confirmed, I'm not."

"Oya, that's disappointing."

"Bear with it."

* * *

><p>Tsuna knocked on the door to Hibari's room nervously. He couldn't hear anything inside. He tried the doorknob and realized that it wasn't locked in the first place. Like a herbivore venturing into the lion's den, Tsuna entered Hibari's room cautiously. He could hear the shower running, and he briefly wondered whether it's Kumiko or Hibari who is taking a shower. It would be scary if it was Kumiko, because then he'd have to face the wrath of Hibari. If it was Hibari, it'll be awkward, because then he'd have to talk to Kumiko. He didn't know the girl at all. In fact, the last time he saw her was when Hibari first pushed her against the wall. "Hiiiee! I never knew that was Hibari's way of showing affection!"<p>

A projectile came flying towards his face. Poor Tsuna didn't have time to duck at all. He whimpered and crossed his arms in front of his face, hoping that it's not a tonfa.

A pillow bounced harmlessly off his arms. "E...EEEEH?" He peeked out cautiously and saw Kumiko with her back facing him, digging through the pile of blankets and pillows on the bed. What is she looking for? Tsuna blushed when he saw various bite marks on the back of the girl's neck. Obviously, Hibari was living up to his catchphrase, and poor Kumiko was bearing the literal brunt of his actions. She groaned and clutched her head in her hands. She couldn't find it. The book. Hibari's book. He's going to kill her...

"A..Umm? A...Ahh...Kumiko-san?"

She squeaked and jumped, one hand on her chest. The running water in the shower room stopped abruptly, and Tsuna held his breath. Pretty soon, the shower started up again. "It's dinnertime, Kumiko-san. I was wondering if you and Hibari-san would like to come and meet us in the dining..."

"We can go by ourselves, herbivore."

Tsuna swayed and looked like he wanted to faint on the spot. There was Hibari, standing in nothing more than a towel wrapped around his waist, tonfas already outstretched in his direction. The running water was a trap. Kumiko stared and then blushed and turned away. Hibari smirked at her reaction, amused with her innocent move. He strolled over to her and grabbed her chin forcing her to look him in the eyes. She whimpered and blushed an even deeper shade of red, grabbing a pillow and covering her face with it. Hibari sent a glare at Tsuna, who was watching their interactions with a mix of horror and fascination on his face. Tsuna eeped and ran down the hallway towards the dining table.

"Hungry?"

She nodded, casting a guilty look at the M&Ms packet still lying innocently on the desk. Hibari caught her gaze and trailed over, picking it up and slinging it over to her. She caught it one handed, her eyes widened in delight and surprise. That is, until she realized that it was empty and that Hibari had eaten the last one.

She sighed, covering her eyes and waiting for Hibari to put on his clothes. Once he informed her that he was ready, she opened her eyes once more, only to see Hibari's face right in hers. She let out a timid 'meep'. Hibari tilted her head back and pressed his lips against hers for the third time that day. She could taste the chocolate in his mouth. "I don't like sweets." He mumbled, and she obediently licked the chocolate clean from the inside of his mouth.

* * *

><p>Everyone was gathered outside the dining room, with Reborn sitting on Tsuna's shoulder and holding a glass of wine. The incessant chatter rang around the room. Everyone was curious, save for Tsuna, about what was going to happen next. Tsuna was dreading the activity with all his heart. When Reborn is leading the activity, it's never good news.<p>

"Attention, everyone!" Reborn tapped the wine glass he was holding with a fork. The ringing noise rang throughout the room, stopping everyone in their tracks. Tsuna looked like he wanted to faint again when he saw Reborn clear his throat. This can't be good.

"It's very important, as Mafioso, to learn how to behave properly at a formal event. Such events include dinner and parties, where activities such as fine dining and ballroom dancing may be required. Therefore, I have decided to have us practice on this cruise ship, as this setting is more than perfect for the aforementioned activities. Now, I have all assigned you partners for tonight. You will be put in a party setting and you will be required to act like proper gentlemen and ladies."

"HAHI! Sounds fun, desu!"

"Oh and one more thing, ballroom dancing requires you to wear formal dress. Kyoko, Haru, Chrome, Kumiko, you will all report to the dressing room after dinner. I've ordered a few dresses for you to try on. The rest of you, please go back to your rooms. There will be formal suits already prepared and laid out on your respective beds."

"How exciting, Haru-chan!"

"Hahi!I I wonder what the dresses look like?"

"Everyone, please listen up! Here are the seating arrangements. Remember, these people are also your primary partners for the ballroom dancing later."

Everyone held their breath save for Mukuro and Hibari. They glared at each other, daring the other to get Kumiko.

"Tsuna will be with me, as will Dino. Dame-Dino, you might as well brush up on your skills. They both have special training as a boss. Gokudera, you will come as well. As a right hand man, you may have to take special requests. And I'm sure you've already learnt the fine details of fine dining when you were small." Tsuna dipped his head in disappointment. He had been hoping with all his might that he would get Kyoko to be his partner, but apparently Reborn wanted to deny him even this small pleasure. Gokudera's eyes shone with happiness upon hearing that he was supposed to train with Tsuna. He immediately straightened and grinned at Tsuna, who looked like he was about to faint.

"Kyoko will go with Yamamoto, Haru with Ryohei, Chrome with Hibari and Mukuro with Kumiko. Any questions?"

"Why am I not placed with Koizumi Kumiko?" Hibari demanded immediately, making the girl blush. He was enraged after hearing the arrangements. Reborn merely tipped his fedora in Hibari's direction and stayed silent. After finding out that Hibari and Mukuro and even Chrome were all part of the legendary Seven Sins myth, he wanted them to stick to the family further. It'll do the Vongola a lot of benefit to harness three of the sins. However, with such dangerous urges occurring in both Chrome and Mukuro and most definitely Hibari, Reborn had to think of an idea to keep the three of them in control. He didn't want them drifting away from the family, nor did he want to leash them. He knew that Mukuro would leave immediately if he found out that he was being manipulated by Reborn, no matter how important Kumiko is to him. The illusionist values his freedom too much. Chrome will follow her Mukuro-sama to the ends of the earth...unless she decides to stick with Hibari. This is complicated, Reborn mused. And therefore, this is the method he came up with. He has to make sure that Kumiko is still within reach for Mukuro, but stays with Hibari. Chrome is the odd one out, but since Chrome's attracted to both Mukuro and Hibari, then her staying will be no problem.

"I ask again, akanbou. Why am I not with Koizumi Kumiko?"

"Rules are rules, Hibari."

"I cannot be bound by such meaningless rules."

He grabbed Kumiko by the arm and started leading her back to their rooms. Reborn frowned. Hibari's difficult to manage, as usual.

"Abide with my rules for tonight and you'll have an interesting opponent to spar with tomorrow." Hibari froze. It was tempting. What if the interesting opponent was Reborn himself? He unconsciously tightened his grip on Kumiko's arm, making the girl wince and start tugging herself out of his grasp. He let go immediately upon seeing that she was getting hurt.

"What constitutes as interesting opponent?"

"A strong one, of course. One that can best you."

"Hn." Hibari agreed. He was too tempted to let this chance slip by him. Reluctantly, he let Kumiko walk to stand by Mukuro. It was then that he noticed the little bracelet on her wrist, with a little glass jar hanging off it. The colorful cranes jingled inside as she moved. Hibari glared at Chrome as she came to take her place beside him, sharpening his gaze when the female illusionist winced and let out a weak cough of fear. She looked different than when they were fighting in the room, and Hibari found himself fighting off a deep sense of disappointment. For a second, he'd thought he found a carnivore in the girl, but it turned out that she just had mental issues. Chrome squirmed under his scrutiny and backed away to stand behind him and out of his line of sight. Hibari sighed and fixed his gaze on his Kumiko, who was writing something on a pad of paper and conversing with Mukuro in that manner.

Mukuro turned back and sent him a smirk of amusement. He growled and gripped the handles of his tonfas. It was going to be a long night indeed.

"I need to speak with Rokudo Mukuro before we start." Hibari muttered. Without waiting for Reborn's response, he glared at the illusionist and stalked down the hallway, quite some distance away from the group. He stared as Kumiko trailed over to Haru and Kyoko and began interacting with them instead. Chrome was left staring helplessly at the trio.

"Oya, she's not making my dearest Nagi feel like an outcast, is she?"

"Don't touch her." Hibari warned, pinning Mukuro down with a fierce glare for emphasis. As always, his actions are ignored and Mukuro smirked at him and continued observing the group. "Kufufu~ That's impossible. She is my ballroom dancing partner. Somebody jealous?" Hibari's face darkened, and he longed to slam his tonfas into Mukuro's face, wiping the smirk off the illusionist's face. He wanted to beat him senseless.

Chrome had hesitantly joined the three girls, and to Hibari's surprise, Kumiko didn't push her away at all. Instead, they started their own conversation, Chrome letting out a small laugh. Kumiko's being deceived. It bewildered him, how she could forgive her enemies so easily.

"Tell your vessel to leave her alone." He snarled.

"Oya, I told you. It's not Chrome's fault." Mukuro chuckled as Kumiko started waving her arms around animatedly, no doubt gesturing about something interesting. As usual, Chrome had no idea what was going on, and simply nodded shyly as the short brunette continued to flail her arms around. He yearned to go there and watch her. He yearned to pin her against a wall and simply mark her as his. He yearned to...

"I don't believe you." Hibari huffed, before stalking back to the group and pulling Kumiko away from Chrome. Chrome trailed after the couple, looking lost.

Mukuro fell silent, his expression contemplative. He still had Hibari to contend with, of course. Tonight is his chance.

* * *

><p>Kumiko sat down in front of a small table, grimacing slightly as Mukuro sat across from her. It's not that she didn't like the illusionist, but she could tell by the death intent radiating off Hibari as she brushed past him that tonight is going to be awkward. She had wanted to be paired with Hibari, because she was sure that no matter what mistakes she made tonight, she wasn't going to be laughed at. With Mukuro, she wasn't so sure. Mukuro was wearing an amused grin, his heterochromatic eyes fixed steadily on her eyes. She blinked, blushed and looked away. It was awkward when he decided to stare at her like that.<p>

"You will all be allowed one sip of wine. You must get familiar with the taste as part of your training. Most social gatherings require you to drink wine as the beverage." Reborn informed, before waving for the dinner to begin. Kumiko clenched the sides of her seat, half in nervousness and half in anticipation. She'd never been in such a high class setting. This really is the experience of a lifetime for her. She wanted to make sure that she didn't do any damage, because she definitely wouldn't be able to pay for any breakages, considering the high class setting.

She is way too close to Mukuro to feel comfortable. The table was unusually small, meant for a small romantic candlelight dinner. As a result of this, her knees were almost brushing Mukuro's. She was never so glad before to know that she was wearing shorts. Who knew what Mukuro might try to do? The velvet tablecloth brushed her legs as she shifted slightly, uncomfortable with the stiff formality of the chairs. She was used to sagging sofas and uneven, plastic seats in school. Mukuro seemed completely at ease, however. He popped the cork on the wine and carefully poured a small amount into Kumiko's glass. Kumiko's eyes followed the sloshing read liquid. She seemed a bit apprehensive at the prospect of drinking wine, so Mukuro smirked and leaned towards her.

"Haven't drank wine before?"

She shook her head and brought out her pad of paper and a pencil. Leaning on the table slightly, she scribbled her reply. _"You're not even 18, so you shouldn't have drank wine before either!" _

"True. But I don't conform to laws anyway. I've drank wine before. Kufufufu..."

"_Does it taste good?" _She couldn't resist asking, pushing her question towards the chuckling male. Mukuro languidly flicked the paper upright. "Well, why don't you find out? The waiter is still at the skylark's table. Go ahead, take a sip."

She raised the glass to her lips and nervously flicked her tongue out to taste the liquid. She gagged. She had thought wine was some sweet concoction, but turns out she was wrong. Mukuro smiled as she gagged with the sudden bitterness of the wine. "Kufufufu...this is diluted too." The smell of the wine hit her. It smelt like very strong grape juice. She placed the glass back onto the table, unwilling to continue drinking.

"Kufufufu...So innocent." Mukuro swirled the wine in his glass daintily, smirking when she flushed at his comment. She angrily tipped back the wine glass and downed the whole mouthful, sticking her tongue back out at him once she swallowed. Mukuro turned his head away and slyly slid his eyes back to her to see that she's gagging and trying not to let him see. _How innocent. She's really too innocent. I want to taint her. Do I?_

_Stop it. Stop it. You're going to hurt her. You don't want to hurt her. You want to love her. You don't want her to hate you. You want her to love you. Remember?_

His hand had been reaching for her thigh. Kumiko sat there, unknowing of Mukuro's actions, folding her napkin into different shapes. Mukuro pulled his hand back with a frown of disgust for his own uncontrollable desires. She's sitting right in front of him, and yet he couldn't have her. How disgustingly annoying. Placing one hand on the table, he tapped his fingers to give them something to do other than reach for her. With his other hand, he propped his elbow up on the table and leaned his head into his palm. Kumiko cast him a smile before pushing a box in his direction. Quirking his eyebrow, he saw that it's a cloud box.

"_Do you know how to open this?" _Unfortunately, he didn't. Mukuro took the box anyway, turning it round and observing it from different angles. It was finely made. Definitely a gift from Hibari Kyoya of the future. Maybe Kumiko had cloud flames as well. It would make sense, because she's quite independent. _And it would mean that she matches Hibari perfectly. _

He pushed the box back towards her. "I think you have to open it yourse-"

"Excuse me, would the two of you like to order your meal now?" The waiter had reached their table and was standing with his notepad at the ready, a cloth draped over his arm. Kumiko almost clapped. It looked like something from a high class dinner scene in a movie. She had always wanted to be in this setting, and now that she's here, she's going to make the most of it. She flipped open the menu eagerly, only to pause when she saw that the whole menu was in Italian. She didn't know any Italian words beside pasta, and she's not even sure if that's a totally Italian word either. She coughed, embarrassed, and moved to flip the menu shut. Mukuro took it from her gently.

"Tagliatele alla bolognese, fettucine alfredo, spaghetti alle vongole. That will be for now." The waiter nodded and took down their orders, leaving Kumiko staring at Mukuro. Mukuro turned his smile on her. "I'm Italian, Koizumi Kumiko." She blushed and turned her head away, but Mukuro gently turned it back to face him. He wanted her to keep on staring at him. He wanted her to never look away. He wanted her to say that she's getting lost in his eyes. He wanted her. He can't have her yet.

"_Can you order something for Hibari-san for me? I don't think he would like anything if he couldn't understand what it is." _

Since she had become the head prefect's girlfriend, she had learnt a lot about his personality. What times of the day he most enjoyed napping, and how long it took him to finish his paperwork on average. Even what kind of food he liked (hamburger, steak, anything with a large amount of meat in it) or what brand of tea he likes drinking, or even the types of food that he's allergic to (Mangoes and oranges, but then again, he never eats mangoes or oranges either). She knew he wouldn't want anything foreign, and therefore would like to keep some part of the meal back for him so that he wouldn't have to go hungry tonight.

Mukuro understood. He understood that she's thinking about him. It hurt him, but it gave him hope at the same time. She's almost perfect. Of course, she still has her flaws in the way she acts so childishly stubborn, or she's so naive, or she's weak. But in his eyes, she's caring. He wants her to care for him. He doesn't know that she already does, albeit unconsciously.

Kumiko writes down what she thinks Hibari would like to eat. He orders a steak and hamburger to be made and wrapped up, kept warm until dinner is over. The waiter gives him a look but he doesn't care, because he's back to staring into her eyes as she smiles back at him in gratitude.

* * *

><p>Not too far away from Mukuro was Hibari and Chrome. Hibari had immediately taken the table directly next to Mukuro and Kumiko's table, observing them out of the corner of his eyes. He was playing with his knife, twirling it absentmindedly. Chrome was blushing in front of him. She twisted her hands in her lap uncomfortably, wishing that he would at least make some sort of conversation. Nevertheless, Hibari was content to ignore her and continue scrutinizing every one of Mukuro's movements, making sure that they weren't openly flirtatious with Kumiko. It pissed him off that Mukuro was allowed the privilege of sitting across her in such an extravagant setting. He would've liked to treat her to dinner himself, talk to her over the table himself, enjoy a meal with her himself.<p>

But no, he's stuck with this...this...he doesn't know what. She's not a monster, and yet she acts monstrous sometimes. Chrome fiddles with her own fingers, before pushing the knife and fork around on her napkin.

"Stop fidgeting." He hisses, thoroughly irked with her herbivorous actions. Chrome stops immediately, lowering her head and stilling her hands. Hibari sees Mukuro pour Kumiko wine, and his hands clench in anger. It should be him doing that for her, not Mukuro. He reached for the wine bottle. Even though he didn't want to do anything for Chrome, he was bored. And so he decided to play along with Reborn's game for now.

His hands are steady as the liquid falls into Chrome's glass. She watches the liquid, not unlike how Hibari had just seen Kumiko do, as it gently rippled. After filling around half her glass, he stopped. He didn't pour any for himself, and when Chrome timidly asks him why, his only reply is "I don't drink alcohol." Chrome accepts that and takes a sip of wine, showing no facial expression to her reaction of its taste. Hibari's eyes narrow. That would mean that she's used to this kind of taste, and therefore she would've drank wine before. She's a minor. She shouldn't have drank wine before. _How undisciplined. _

He doesn't care for her at all, however, and therefore opts to stay silent on the matter. It doesn't matter to him if she dies of liver failure after drinking alcohol. He just hopes Kumiko wouldn't drink more than the required sip. Chrome doesn't touch the cup again afterwards, choosing to observe him. She knew that he hated this. She herself found this incredibly daunting; here she is, sitting across from the man of her affections, and yet she found herself unable to say anything to him. She wonders why. When the waiter comes over to ask them what they would like to eat, Hibari glares for her to take the menu first. He doesn't have any interest in eating anything on the menu, mainly because he can't understand a word of what it says. Chrome has little to no clue as well, and so could only stare helplessly at the sheet in front of her and fidget nervously. The waiter clears his throat and recommends them some dishes. Chrome jumps at the opportunity and immediately tells him to bring one of everything that he's recommended.

Hibari scoffs as the waiter bows and moves away. That dratted female herbivore does not know what she's doing at all. But he keeps his complaints to himself, despite his urge to unleash his strength on her and beat her into the ground for being insolent earlier on. He still couldn't get the image of Kumiko frozen and crumbling out of his mind. One part of him suggested that he's scared of Chrome and her freakish abilities. She's gotten so strong so suddenly. Hibari viewed her as an opponent to get rid of rather than a herbivore that's tripping up his relationship.

Chrome watches as Hibari's expression turns dangerously calm. He doesn't seem to be angry at her anymore, but she shivers in fear for what he's thinking. His face is unreadable, his movements are still and deliberately obvious. He doesn't move, even when the waiter gives them a strained smile as he hands over their dishes. Chrome's eyes widen at the sight of their food. Everything is seafood. She doesn't like seafood. It's too slimy for her taste. There's a magnificent platter of raw seafood, with whole lobsters and a lot of oysters. Chrome turned slightly green when she saw that the shrimp and the oysters were still moving around slightly. Apparently, this particular seafood platter is supposed to be so fresh that it's still alive. She had no idea why this was on the recommended list. Hibari turned his head away completely, losing his appetite. He hated un-Japanese food and he hated raw seafood. He only ever ate seafood when it was in the form of sushi, and even then that was rare. He preferred meat.

* * *

><p>Kumiko was startled out of her thoughts when a plate of steaming spaghetti appeared in front of her. The meal looked absolutely delicious. Red tomato sauce covered the thin noodles, and the whole meal was also topped with deliciously steaming clams. Kumiko laughed and thanked Mukruo, while the male took a suave bow to further entertain her. Her smiles fueled his confidence. If anything, they were close friends now. And close friends can always develop into something further. Mukuro felt elated, but he didn't outwardly show anything as he smiled and picked up his fork.<p>

He watched as Kumiko started eating. She toyed with the fork, a look of intense concentration on her face as she chased a stray strand of spaghetti right off the plate. It fell onto the tablecloth, staining the dark velvet an even darker shade of red and purple. Glancing up and seeing that Mukuro was smirking at her, she flushed and hiccupped in embarrassment. Casting glances around the room, she could see the Kyoko and Haru picking through their food daintily, in a very ladylike manner. Her face felt like it was burning up with embarrassment. She lay her fork down and twisted her napkin nervously. She hated embarrassing herself, and one of her weak points was that she minded what others thought a little too much. She didn't want to make a bad impression on other people, and she was sure that embarrassing herself would make them laugh at her.

Mukuro gently pinched her cheek and she jerked in surprise. "Go on. Nobody's laughing at you. Eat up." He had noted that she's pretty thin, even for girls her age. It was up to the point of being unhealthy. Compared to the first few times he had seen her, when he'd just transferred to Namimori Chuu, she had been a lot healthier. Nakamura must have had something to do with it. Maybe she still wasn't eating properly, even one month after that incident. Frustration welled inside him. He should've noticed earlier. Then he would've made sure that she got three square meals a day, even if it meant that he had to follow her around school.

_What's the skylark doing? I thought he would take care of her properly!  
><em>  
>Mukuro ran a hand through his hair, keeping a smile on his face. "Oya, if you don't eat up, I'll feed you!" He joked. She shook her head hurriedly and brought the fork back to the spaghetti, constantly peeking at Kyoko to see how she was eating. Seeing that Kyoko wrapped the noodles around her fork, she twisted the utensil as well. Unfortunately, she did this a little too sharply, and Mukuro was sprayed with a faceful of tomato sauce. Her own face and shirt wasn't spared either. She let out a sharp peal of laughter, making Mukuro break into chuckles as well.<p>

"Kufufufu...that's a bit overboard, don't you think?"

She nodded, jumping up and using her very crumpled napkin to dab at his face. Without knowing, she was leaning forward. Their faces were very close. Mukuro could smell the spaghetti sauce on her face, as well as the flowery scent of whatever body wash she used. Seeing that she's totally immersed in scrubbing a blotch of sauce off the side of his nose, Mukuro couldn't help but draw her closer. She fit in his arms perfectly, her torso still twisted around as she tried to reach the annoyingly unreachable spaghetti sauce. He smirked at her, and that's when she realized that she's much closer to him that she ever wanted to be in the first place. And worse, she's facing Hibari's table. And Hibari was watching her sit in Mukuro's lap.

She had never felt so embarrassed in her whole life.

* * *

><p>Chrome watched as Hibari stood up suddenly, slamming his chair backwards. He approached Kumiko and Mukuro, anger radiating off him in fierce waves. She shivered. <em>I hope they break up now<em>.

"You. Me. Outside. Now." Hibari snarled to Kumiko. Kumiko nodded hurriedly and abandoned her napkin, jumping off Mukuro's lap and dusting off the front of her shirt self-consciously. Hibari swung his tonfa abruptly at Mukuro, and Mukuro didn't bother to dodge the incoming blow. His head cracked sideways as the hit connected. Hibari wasted no time in grabbing Kumiko by the wrist and storming out of the place. Reborn didn't try to stop him. Chrome didn't try to stop him. Nobody could stop him.

Once outside, he pinned Kumiko to the wall and slammed his lips angrily into hers. He bit her, making her cry out, filling his mouth with the iron taste of her blood. His tongue was in her mouth, blood mixing with spaghetti sauce. Kumiko choked and twisted under his grasp, but his hold on her tightened. She whimpered and panted. Tears leaked out of the corner of her eyes as he bit her again, infusing more pain into her mouth. His bites were harder, breaking through the skin of her lips. He moved onto her neck, and that's when she really started to cry out. It wasn't that she didn't want him touching her. It was because it's painful, and she had no way of telling him. Her notebook was left on the table with Mukuro.

Hibari froze as he finally heard her cries. The furious feeling he still had over watching as Kumiko flirted with Mukuro right in front of him was overwhelming, pounding, like waves of anger crashing against the cliff that was his heart. He pulled back and noted the blood streaming off the side of her neck, and along her bottom lip. He noted her tears, the salty clear liquid mixing with the bloody red. He noted her trembling form, the way she brought her hands up to wipe away her tears immediately when she noticed he was looking at her.

"Wh...Why are you so weak?" He murmured, his voice dangerously low. His heart thudded angrily against his chest. It was threatening to burst out and let his feelings overwhelm him. If that happened, he would kill her. He would kill his Kumiko.

"I asked you, why are you so WEAK?" It was almost a shout of frustration, but that was impossible because Hibari was always calm and collected and he could be rough sometimes but he's usually gentle...

She cringed as he punched the wall beside her, his chest heaving, his eyes dark with emotion.  
>"You are disgusting. I don't know why I liked you in the first place." It hurt his heart. It hurt his mind. He didn't want to think anymore. He didn't want to do this anymore. He didn't want to see her and Mukuro together anymore. He didn't want to see himself hurting her anymore. He didn't want to feel her hurting him anymore. He didn't want to see her with Mukuro anymore. He was tired of this herbivorous pain deep in his chest. He was a carnivore. He could do anything. He wanted to break all ties. She was becoming his weakness. She was depending on him. That cannot do. He's a carnivore. He doesn't take weaklings for mates.<p>

She reminded him of Chrome now, always shying away from everything. Never standing up for herself and fighting for herself. Never facing Mukuro like she should've done. Maybe she does like him. Maybe she doesn't like him anymore. Maybe it was because of the motorcycle. Maybe he shouldn't have brought her out on a motorcycle. Maybe he should end this.

He felt like he was missing something important. He'd forgotten something.

Yes. He should end this.

_No, I shouldn't. I love her. She loves me. Isn't that enough?_

"Don't come to me anymore. I want nothing more to do with you."

Her hands clutched at his shirt. It was a desperate tugging motion. He jerked in surprise. He remembered seeing someone perform much of the same motion before. The act of keeping your loved one close to yourself. The feelings was gone as soon as it'd appeared in his mind. She didn't want him to leave her. He didn't want to leave her. He didn't need her. He had to leave her. She was becoming his weakness.

"I said **stay away.**" And with that, he stalked off and locked himself in his room.

* * *

><p>Kumiko trudged back into the dining room, tear stained and with one hand pressed to the wound in her neck. She plunked down in her chair and ignored all of Mukuro's attempts to get her talking. She buried her face in her arms and cried and cried and cried. Her tears soaked into the table cloth. Mukuro helplessly patted her on her back, his eyes saddened. What happened? What did the skylark do this time?<p>

"What happened? Do you want to tell me?"

She shook her head no, but Mukuro pushed the pencil and paper into her hands anyway. Her trembling hand found the pencil, and she scrawled.

_He broke up with me._

_It hurts._

* * *

><p>Reborn dismissed everyone early today. He said that ballroom dancing would take place tomorrow and not today due to Chrome's partner not being available for the dance. Whispers were already spreading through the group, despite Mukuro's attempts at keeping the situation quiet. Everyone was dismissed from the dining hall, the girls chattering brightly with each other and almost completely oblivious to Kumiko's pain. Only Chrome approached her. She read the note off her pad, and left immediately, with an unreadable expression on her face. Mukuro made a mental note to himself to sort her out later.<p>

Right now, Kumiko takes priority.

"Kumiko, everyone has left. Do you want to go back to your ro..." He froze, remembering that Kumiko was sharing a room with Hibari. "My room?" He finished lamely. She shook her head vigorously, silent sobs still wracking her thin frame. Mukuro stroked her hair.

"It was all my fault. I'll go talk to him. He shouldn't have taken it out on you."

She shook her head again. The waiter cleared their table, but Mukuro refused to leave without Kumiko. She showed no intention of leaving either, her head still buried in her arms. The waiter suddenly approached them again. "Your hamburger and steak, sir." He cast a curious glance in Kumiko's direction. "Would the young lady like a glass of water?"

Kumiko shook her head. She didn't want anything anymore. She wanted him back. But he was never going to come back to her again. She didn't want anything anymore.

"Oya, how about you bring him his dinner? He might be hungry. Maybe he'll have thought things through. Maybe you could talk with him yourself." She sat up slowly and swiped the tears away from her face. Her face was blotched and her eyes were puffy and red. She nodded and picked up the plastic bag, gently tucking her chair in and making her way to Hibari's room.

Once there, she asked Mukuro to leave her alone. She wanted to sort this out with him alone. He nodded, respecting her wishes, and left. Kumiko took a deep breath and knocked on Hibari's door.

There was no answer.

She knocked once more. There was still no answer. Maybe he's asleep. But no, she knew that he didn't sleep that early usually. He would sleep at 10 - 11 pm every night, but now it's only 8:30. He would probably be reading or petting Hibird, or sometimes he would be hugging her, and they would sit in a comfortable silence, Hibari gently pulling her against his chest while he read his book with his other hand.

She knocked again, harder this time. She wanted to be in there with him. She wanted to be in his arms...

The door swung open. "What do you want."

His glare filled her with apprehension, but she simply held up the bag. He didn't move to take it. She stepped forward once, and Hibari stepped backwards and away from her. Her heart thudded painfully. He...

"I don't want anything of yours." He replied harshly, moving to shut the door in her face. Kumiko's expression grew panicked. She placed the bag on the floor and pulled out her notepad. "_I ordered some hamburger and steak for you. You didn't eat dinner, right?" _She offered him the note and the bag once more, holding it out to him. The smell of the hamburger hit her, and she realized that she didn't eat dinner either. Nonetheless, she continued to hold it out for him. She brought it especially for him and him only.

"I said** I don't want it.**"

He swung his hand and hit the bag, flinging it out of her arms. As the meal splattered against the wall beside her, Hibari stalked back into the room and slammed his door shut, shutting out her pained expression. He heard her sit down in front of his door and start sobbing quietly, but he made no move to go comfort her. He was hurting too. He didn't need her to punch more holes in his chest.

Blocking out the noise as best he could, he got back into his bed and pulled his book towards him. His Vongola Ring lay beside him, and he picked it up as well, slipping it onto his finger. He didn't know why he did it. Maybe he just wanted to measure his irritation level. He willed the flame free, watching as it danced along the silver band. He wanted to hold her. Maybe he should just open the door. It wasn't her fault at all. He saw the illusionist himself pull her onto his lap. He knew how she was. He knew that she was insecure about what others thought of her. He knew she was just trying to help others. Why did he feel so angry about it?

A series of weak knocks came from the door again. A flare of irritation passed through him.

"Wrath, Hibari. You are Wrath. The key to keeping her is learning how to control your feelings."

"..." Reborn swung his legs from the windowsill, staring sternly at the stubborn male in front of him. There was no way he was going to let their relationship end there. He would only have himself to blame if Hibari chose to leave the family. What with the way he was clenching his ring, Reborn could tell he was sorely tempted. Is it all because of that girl?

"Do you want to let her in? It's cold outside."

"No."

"She'll forgive you."

_Will she? _

"I don't need her to forgive me. She should be the one apologizing."

"If you have issues with Mukuro being too close to her, you should talk to Mukuro himself, not take it out on Kumiko. That's just unfair."

"Who are you to call m-"

The weak knocking sounded up again. Hibari snarled in irritation. "Go away." The knocking stopped. He heard a hiccup. It was Kumiko, definitely. But someone else was out there with her. He could hear quiet murmuring. He strained his ears. It was a female voice.

"Isn't that Chrome?"

Reborn cast him a curious glance as Hibari's face darkened once more. He hated Chrome. Even more than he hated Mukuro right now. That weakling kept on trying to make a move on him even though she knew that he's with Kumiko. _Was..._He mentally corrected himself. _Was. Now she's free to make a..._

He stopped. Why is Chrome talking to Kumiko? They've just broken up, and now...wh...

"By the looks on your face, this is bad. Considering she's Envy..."

"What?"

"I'll explain it to you later. For now, you might want to let Kumiko in."

Hibari almost refused, but then thought twice after hearing Chrome's quiet murmur again. And then she giggled. The sound sent a chill up Hibari's spine. This was Monster Chrome. This wasn't the normal Chrome. His Kumiko is most likely in danger.

He slid off the bed and strode to the door, pulling it open roughly.

There was Kumiko, sitting on the floor with a pale, tear stained face. Chrome was holding a scalpel. It was pointed at Kumiko's throat. Her eyes widened upon seeing Hibari. "K..Kyoya!" She whispered.

"I never gave you the right to call me by my first name." He snarled, taking in the scene. "What are you doing, herbivores?"

Chrome giggled. "Kumiko-chan said you might like her better if she actually had a voice. I know a lot about medicine, so I'm helping her." Kumiko looked dazed and feverish. She was nodding to everything Chrome said. Chrome giggled again and stroked Kumiko's hair. "She's really obedient, ne, Kyoya? Will you really like her better if she had her voice?"

Hibari felt like his tongue was glued to the roof of his mouth. He couldn't speak. Chrome moved the scalpel closer to Kumiko's throat, and to his amazement, Kumiko let her. One look at her hazy eyes and he knew she was under an illusion somehow. Chrome was going to kill her. Chrome was going to kill his Kumiko.

Reborn fired a shot, and Chrome fell backwards with a shriek. The scalpel spun out of her hands. She scrambled back towards her own room, and Hibari stepped to follow, but Reborn stopped him. "I'll deal with Chrome. You help Kumiko. She doesn't look very normal right now." Hibari bent down and carefully took her in his arms. She didn't move. Her eyes stayed blank, unseeing. She looked brain dead, or unconscious, like she was sleeping with her eyes open. There were still tear tracks running down the sides of her cheeks. Hibari closed the door behind him and swung her onto the bed. She absentmindedly held his shoulders as he took off her shoes and then lay her down. He lay down beside her.

"Herbivore."

She didn't respond. Her eyes stared back at her, occasionally closing slowly and then opening again like she was blinking in slow motion. There wasn't any light in her eyes anymore, nor the sadness that he'd witnessed when he'd broken up with her. He kissed her lips gently, and then her cheeks, and then just under her eyes, tasting her salty tears still on her skin.

She didn't respond.

"Herbivore." He was starting to worry a bit. It's not like her to be so unresponsive. Usually she would at least hug him to let him know she was paying attention, or she would hold his hand and give it a squeeze, or she would sometimes lean forward and peck him on the cheek or lips hesitantly. He wanted her to do something. It was horrible, seeing her like this. _Is it because I broke up with her? Or is it because of the illusion?_

"Kumiko. Kumiko, answer me. This is not funny." He growled, giving her wrist a squeeze. She didn't flinch or wince at the pain like she usually does. Hibari cut his hand on something sharp, and he looked down at her wrist. He realized that the small glass jar containing her 7 paper cranes was cracked. The cranes were missing. Carefully, he removed the glass from the string, tossing it into the rubbish bin underneath the lamp cabinet. His arms automatically encircled her. He all but forgot that he was still mad at her. What for? What's the purpose of it now?

As he drew her closer to him, he could feel her breath on his shirt. She was still breathing, that's good. She's still alive at least.

Suddenly, her eyes widened. She clutched at his shirt desperately, mirroring the actions she'd made when he'd first mentioned breaking up. _Don't go. Don't leave me_. "I'm not leaving you." Hibari found himself murmuring. Can she even hear him? She coughed and coughed and coughed. He pressed one hand to her throat and massaged it gently. His eyes were widened slightly as well. He really didn't know what to do in this scenario. She buried her face into his chest and continued coughing.

The door to his room suddenly burst open. Hibari lifted his head and saw Mukuro approaching the bed. He snarled. "Get out."

"No." Mukuro immediately replied. He rushed over and felt her forehead. "Shit." He swore. Hibari had never seen his arch rival so worked up before. "What's wrong?" Hibari muttered. He would pick a fight later. Right now, he needed Kumiko back to normal.

"Where's her senbazuru?" Mukuro immediately asked. Hibari gestured to the empty and broken bottle in the rubbish bin. Mukuro swore again.

"What's wrong?" Hibari demanded once more. Mukuro tugged at his hair and sighed.

"Chrome put her under a strong illusion. I never knew she had that much strength in her. It was invoked with a medium, so I don't know how to stop it unless we find the medium and destroy it personally. Otherwise...Kumiko's suffering. The senbazuru was supposed to protect her." He stated, almost too calmly. Hibari's eyes narrowed. _Kumiko's suffering? _

_If only I hadn't let her out of my sight. _

_If only I had realized the darkness of Chrome's feelings faster._

**_She wouldn't be suffering. _**

"I never wanted to win this way. Keep her by your side, Skylark. This is unfair on her. I wanted our competition to be fair."

* * *

><p>AN: EXTRA LONG CHAPTER! Phew. :) Thanks so much to all those who reviewed the previous chapter! **Bree Renee, Rotten Heresy and Chocolate, xXBloodyIllusionXx, mirageseason132, ShizukaRen-Hime, starish-sky and Clair Kingsleigh! **

Shouts out to **AppleDragon, **who took the time to proofread this for me. I hope my atrocious grammar hasn't killed off any of your braincells XD

Please read and review XD


	25. Search and Rescue

Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn!  
>Rating: T<p>

* * *

><p>Search and Rescue<p>

* * *

><p>It wasn't that he didn't like her anymore. He still did. Mukuro sighed and looked longingly at Kumiko as Hibari pulled her closer against him. Obviously, the skylark didn't want to share. Obviously, the skylark didn't have any regards to her feelings either. Otherwise, why would he have even broken up with her in the first place? Mukuro's heart skipped a beat as Hibari sighed silently and got up, pressing the blankets firmly down onto her so that she was safely cocooned in the soft pile. Without a word, he gave Mukuro a sharp glance, indicating that he wanted the illusionist to follow him outside.<p>

Mukuro doggedly followed after him. After stepping out the door, Hibari pinned Mukuro with a deep glare of hatred, before slowly letting the door fall shut. It closed with a soft click, and Mukuro then opened his mouth.

"I'm telling yo-"

"No. She's useless. I do not want her back. You can have her."

"..." Mukuro didn't say anything for a while, merely narrowing his eyes at the silent Skylark. It shocked him, how Hibari had so casually written her off like that, how he had treated her as nothing more than a mere object. _You can have her. _Hibari met his glare steadily. He didn't want her back. She was merely a burden, a weakness.

"Listen here, Skylark." Mukuro's voice was so full of loathing, so full of hatred, that even Hibari was shocked for a second. His grey slate eyes widened ever so slightly as Mukuro shoved him against the wall roughly. "It was my fault, **Hibari Kyoya. **How dare you blame it on her." Hibari shook his head and punched Mukuro in the stomach, making him reel backwards and let go of him. He was seething. So much so that he didn't even bother to pull out his tonfas as he landed another blow on the arrogant illusionist. Mukuro hissed and skittered away, standing stiffly to Hibari's right. Hibari let out a huff of irritation as he faced the illusionist once more.

"Don't. Touch. Me." There it was, that abhorrence rearing its ugly head once more. Hibari's head pounded. He wanted to kill Rokudo Mukuro right here on the spot, he wanted to kill Chrome, he even wanted to kill Kumiko. Why wouldn't everyone just leave him to be? He was a solitary creature, one that didn't need anyone else's company, one that didn't need to rely on a group of useless herbivores to support his every move. One that didn't cling to Hibari because she was insecure due to the fact that she's mute. All the worry he had for Kumiko vanished in an instant as he replayed her flirtatious moments with Mukuro. How long had they been going on behind his back? What had Mukuro given her that he couldn't give her? It started with the kiss when he had been immobilized in hospital, and then the cafe scenario and now the ballroom dancing partnering? He didn't care if she didn't want to be with him anymore.

_I never really liked her in the first place. She's weak and useless and small and mute and she depends on me, so much so that I want to hurt her. _

It was the anger that he couldn't control that brought him back to his senses. Holding in the anger hurt. It hurt to breathe, it hurt to think. He wanted to fight, wanted to resort to the instinctual feel of hitting someone with his fists and have them beg for mercy beneath his feet as their blood stained the plush carpets of the fancy ship they were on. Hibari let out a growl and ran at Mukuro, but the illusionist sidestepped.

"Fine." Mukuro snapped, and Hibari's anger dissipated as quickly as it had appeared. His most coherent thought at the moment would be something in the middle of _I'll bite you to death, _or _what did you say? _Mukuro sighed again. "Fine. If you want to do it this way, it doesn't really count as cheating after all. If you really did feel that way about her, if you were simply toying with her feelings, then _you don't deserve her. _I'll make sure she feels loved, unlike you. I'll make sure I take care of her, which you have obviously failed to do. I'll make sure she doesn't get hurt..._you better not regret it. I'll make sure she's mine._"

Hibari scoffed. "Do what you want. It does not concern me." But he couldn't get rid of the sinking feeling he felt in his chest. She had never been his to begin with, had she? Hibari Kyoya didn't know how to love. HIbari Kyoya didn't know what was in the mind of herbivores. He didn't know how to keep a girl by his side, he didn't know how to treat Kumiko. _I don't deserve her. _The more he thought about it, the more his mind clogged with memories of being together with her.

The way she trusted him so much that she would obediently do everything that he told her to do.

The way her touches were always so soft and submissive, the way she never demanded anything from him and never refused when he demanded something from her.

The way her eyes lit up with obvious happiness when Hibari went over to talk to her or to simply hold her. The way she would fit in his arms so perfectly, the way she was so concentrated when she was drawing something, the way she would look at Hibird and see the need to care for small animals, the way she looked at him with so much trust, the way she would open her mouth and mouth his name to him, the way she cried when he got hurt and the way she would fight for him if the occasion needed it. The way she wanted to hold his hand in public, the way she wanted to follow him around, the way she needed to know that they were going to stay together, the way she thought of him and knew what he liked and what he didn't like, the way she smiled at him, the way she never needed to draw attention to their relationship and the way she would always visit him at lunchtime and share her bento box with him when he got hungry, the way she would sit next to him on the roof and stay still so as not to wake him up when he was having his daily nap, the way she sometimes snuggled up next to him and tucked herself into his arms because she wasn't afraid of him and she knew that he wouldn't mind. The way she knew him better than she knew herself sometimes, the way he knew her better than himself. The way they were meant for each other, or so he had thought.

That terror he had felt when she'd frozen in front of him had been so real, so intense. He didn't want to go through it again. He simply wanted to cut all ties. In fact, this may even be beneficial to her! She can stay safe, and she can go to Mukuro, like she really wanted to. A traitorous voice within Hibari's mind informed him that she didn't want Mukuro in that way, that she was still completely loyal, if only caught off guard once or twice. But he didn't want any of it anymore. He wanted freedom. Isolation.

_It hurts. _

It wasn't that he didn't like her anymore. He just needed a break. Hibari felt like pressing his fingers to his temple. It hurt to think about her. It hurt to think that they were no longer to be together, that she wasn't going to be wholly his to love anymore. _Who am I kidding? I don't love her. Hibari Kyoya doesn't succumb to herbivorous emotions. _It alarmed him that he had to remind himself not to mention his 'love' for her. He has to let her go right now, otherwise his whole world would be turned upside down, and he would no longer be a carnivore. He refused to become a herbivore too. The only way to stay himself was to get rid of her.

"You can have her." He mumbled. Mukuro nodded, his eyes still flashing animosity. "You can have her."

He sounded incredibly tired.

* * *

><p>Hibari pulled open the door to his room, walking over to his bed and sitting down heavily. A small squeak caught him by surprise, making him look back. He had almost forgotten that he left her on his bed previously. He whipped his head around to pin her with a stare, and a lone purple eye met his gaze.<p>

That was the last thing that he remembered.

* * *

><p><em>Hibari gently pulls her against him, his own chest rising and falling with his breaths. She huddles closer to him as if feeling cold, wrapping her arms around his torso. He gives her a smirk, and that's when a thin thread of regret laces through his heart. If only he could give her a sincere smile, a genuinely warm tilt of the lips. If only it wasn't marred by the smirk he always gives her. If only it was more...truthful. Was it? His smirk didn't seem half as convincing with the smiles as those of Sawada Tsunayoshi and Yamamoto Takeshi beam out. They don't even seem convincing next to the ones that Kumiko kept giving him. Wait, who was Kumiko again?<em>

_He settles for pulling her closer, weaving his hands into her hair. Her long locks tangle around his fingers. He breathes in her scent, a delicate wave of lavender and lilac. _

_Chrome's hands clung onto his shirt, never loosening her grip as if afraid that he would slip away before she wakes up. Hibari shook his head and pressed his lips onto her forehead once more. He loves Chrome and he would never leave her for anyone else. Chrome was his and his alone, and in return, he vowed to stay loyal, to stay a carnivore that mates for life and never cheats. _

_But the more he tries to muffle the painful thudding of his heart in his chest, the more he tries to deny the fact that the girl in his arms is not the one he wants, the more doubt builds in his mind. It was driving him crazy. His hands desperately searched for something to do, be it rubbing slow circles on her back as she slept, or stroking her spine, or even playing with her fingers. He felt a deep sense of unease, of...of what?  
><em>  
><em>"Kyoya?" Chrome blinked, her one eye opening slightly to stare into his expression.<em>

_**You're not the one I want. **__He wanted to say. Instead... "Do you need anything...Chrome?" _

_Chrome? Why would he call her Chrome? Have they gone so far in their relationship that he doesn't need to label her as herbivore or even omnivore anymore? The question is, why doesn't he remember anything about this? When had he become so close to Chrome that he would hold her against his chest and murmur sweet nothings into her ears? When had he become so close with her that he would open his eyes to her in his arms? Nonetheless, there was something that was stopping him from shoving her away. There was something that stirred his heart just a little as she lifted herself onto her elbows gently, her palms pressing against his chest. His breath hitched. She's beautiful._

_**She's disgusting.**_

_"Kyoya? What's wrong?" Her concerns pressed into his mind. Yes, he belonged with her. There had been no one else in this whole wide world that cared more for him than she did. His hands automatically went to tuck her hair behind her ears, exposing her pale face and her gentle smile. It was her touch that warmed him. It was her voice that made him feel joy and laughter. It was her that saved him._

_Not Kumiko._

_Who was Kumiko again?_

_"Kyoya, your mind is wandering again." She pressed her lips against his skin, and he pulled her closer against him, wanting to feel more of her, wanting to feel her closer, wanting to have her by his side. Always by his side. He flipped her over onto her back and trapped her within his arms, leaning his face closer. The smirk he wore slipped onto his face once more as he leaned closer, as she smiled to receive his soft touch. His hands slipped behind to pull her up by the small of her back. She accepted his hold willingly, falling forward easily into his embrace.  
><em>  
><em>"I love you, Kyoya. Do you love me?"<em>

_"I..." His own words clogged his throat. A miniscule part inside of him was thrashing, was fighting to get free. No, he wanted to shout. You're not the one I've fallen for. I don't fall for anyone, I don't succumb to herbivorous feelings. But that herbivore was special. I felt for her. And she is not you. _

_"I love you." He whispered, voice choked with passion. She smiles. "That's good to hear." Her head leaned forward to loll on his collarbone, her breath staining the side of his neck. He leaned back against the headboard, her weight against his chest, secure and anchored. She was never going to leave him. He loved her. He loved Chrome Dokuro. _

_Suddenly, he caught himself in a liplock with the girl. Small, timid Chrome had finally made a move, leaning forward and pressing her lips to his gently. He responded silently, wrapping his arms around her back to pull her forward. Her scent wrapped around him, lilac and lavender mixing together, and that's when Hibari knew something was wrong. With a muffled grunt, Hibari broke the kiss and pulled away. Chrome licked her lips. "What's wrong, Kyoya?"_

_"It's not you. I don't love you." _

_Her expression saddened. "But you do, you told me you do!" _

_**Kumiko...**__Where is she?  
><em>  
><em>He shook his head furiously. It's an illusion. His love for Chrome Dokuro is fake. <em>

* * *

><p>The floor was impossibly, unbearably cold. Kumiko was barefoot. She winced as she sat up. Her back ached with invisible scratches. It was dark but there was something beside her. Her feet scraped against the cold of the tiled floor. Was it tiled? Because it felt a lot rougher, all of a sudden. Her toes curled against the unidentifiable material. Brick? Stone?<p>

She blinked. Her eyes made out few spots in the darkness. There was a bad smell lingering in the air, and Kumiko wrinkled her nose. The last she remembered was...was running to Mukuro's room. It came back to her in a painful rush, how Hibari had shoved her against the wall and kissed her so passionately, and how immediately afterwards, he had broken up with her without a second thought, leaving her to sob her heart out in the dining room. She automatically brought her hand up to brush against her chest. It hurt. _It hurt._

A jingling sound caught her attention. Light glinted off something cuffed around her wrists...her ankles...even her stomach. She was chained. Chained to the wall. She tugged at her chains. At least her leash was long. She could stand up quite easily, but could only take a couple of steps in any given direction. She rubbed her eyes, looking for a way out. Her mouth opened and closed, forming words that she couldn't speak.

_Hibari? Hibari-san, where are you?_

Her thumping heart could be clearly heard in the sullen atmosphere in her new prison. As her eyes adjusted more and more to the amount of light let into the room, she realized that it was exactly that. A prison. There were bars between her and the corridor outside. There were no windows. As she tapped her hands against the brick, a sudden rocking motion threw her against the wall. Her light body was dragged around by the restraints of the chains, scraping her ankles and wrists and palms. She gulped and dragged herself back into the corner where she had woken up, rubbing her eyes and huddling closer within herself. Where is she?

A second rocking motion gave her her answer. As she pressed her head against the wall of the cell, she imagined she could hear the large waves slapping against the side of the ship, pushing it around like a toy boat in a bathtub. Even if there was a window, even if she did manage to get out of this cell, she had nowhere to go. Is she still on the same boat as Hibari-san and the others? Or has she been switched off the boat and onto another in a sick game of cat and mouse, of kidnapper and hostage?

Stifling a panicked sob, she curled up closer into a ball and lay her head against her knees. Tears leaked slowly out of the side of her face. Her head hurts. Her heart ached. She was broken and chained, probably forgotten, like a marionette that a spoilt child has thrown away. She shifted her legs slightly, coughing once more as she sat forward. Her fingers curled slightly and she realized that the cast that had been put on her has fallen away to reveal her pale skin. The skin of her left arm was white and clammy, unhealthy, compared to her slightly tanned left arm. She shook her hand experimentally, tugging it backwards and trying to get out of her cuff links.

A melodic sound drifted to reach her ears. She perked up immediately. Someone's here! They can get her out! She reached up to rub her throat, letting out a dry huffing sound. She couldn't scream, she couldn't speak, she couldn't do anything right. Frustration caused her to lift one of her hands and bang it against the bars. She smiled softly as a rich ringing noise caused the footsteps to falter. She banged her cuffs against the metal again.

_Maybe it's Hibari-san._

She stopped then. Color slowly bled into her pale cheeks as she relived what he had said to her. What he had done. Did she really want to get back together with him? Did he really want her back? He implied himself that she was nothing more than a burden to him, nothing more than carry on baggage. It wouldn't matter if she got lost.

Her head spun. She didn't want it to be him. She wanted it to be him.

_It hurts. Hibari-san, where are you? _

"Kumiko-chan?" A soft feminine voice floated into the confines of her cell. It was Chrome. She rattled her chains desperately, banging it against the bars to catch her attention. The purple-haired illusionist swung her way, clutching a trident in her hands. Kumiko's eyes watered. She could finally get out of here! It was then that she realized how truly scared she had been. For some reason, she had thought that Nakamura was going to come back and kill her for what she did. She thought Komatsu had come looking for revenge. She wanted to go home. She wanted to go back to Hibari-san and beg him to take her back, because she's not useless and she'll definitely try her best to become stronger if only to please him more.

Tears ran down her cheeks as she desperately continued to rattle her chains. The sound echoed in the small room, sounding ghostly eerie, much like the death throes of a man getting strangled by metal chains. She shuddered, making the links clink gently once more.

"Kumiko-chan?" Chrome's voice called out again, and then suddenly she was in front of her. Kumiko's eyes widened slightly, and then she lowered her head and raised her arms. Chrome was related to Mukuro, wasn't she? Maybe she could create illusions as well! Her eyes raised to meet Chrome's purple gaze evenly and she asked silently for the female illusionist to break her chains. Chrome blinked.

"But there's someone else here to see you first..."

_No, I want out of here! I don't want to see anyone, I can just see them on my own when I get out of these chains! _

She didn't move, holding her breath as the sound of wheels filled the room. She was still half blind, even though her eyes could make out the movement of the person sitting in the chair. To her, it looked like an unidentifiable monster was making its way slowly towards her. Unconsciously, she pushed back and soon realized that, as her back pressed against the cold wall, she had nowhere to go anymore. The chains rattled as the thing moved closer, and it wasn't until the person started speaking that she realized who it was.

"Kumiko-chan~"

* * *

><p>Mukuro ran into the room. He had to set Hibari's mind straight. Kumiko was no doubt still upset about how Hibari suddenly broke up with her, and the guilt was eating away at his heart every time he realized that he was a key factor in her pain.<p>

He opened the door silently. Mukuro was never one for privacy anyway, but he was pleasantly surprised to find the skylark's door unlocked. He crept in, edging the door close with his foot. "Kumiko?" His voice is soft, silky almost. He quickly corrects himself, coughing, and tries again with a louder voice.

"Kumiko. Oya, where are you?"

He sees the shape of two people on the bed. Silhouettes, their true identity hidden by the shadows of the darkened evening. Mukuro continued forward, his eyes straining to see in the inky darkness. It blotched at his vision, making him shake his head in irritation. "Kumiko." He called once more, this time with slight irritation laced into his voice. Why did she even want to stay by him when she knew that he didn't want her anymore?

"Mukuro-sama?"

Chrome's wide eye met his. Mukuro was on guard immediately. With the way she was possessed by Envy, he didn't know what to expect. Her skills probably fluctuate quite a bit with the unpredictable emotions that she now hosts. He was surprised to see that she and Hibari were curled up snugly, and that the skylark's arms were around hers. The raven haired male lifts his head slowly and smirks at Mukuro. Mukuro growls in anger.

"What do you think you're doing, Hibari Kyoya?" It was disgusting of him to have moved on so quickly after ending things with Koizumi Kumiko. It was impossible too. Hibari Kyoya was a solitary creature, Mukuro knew that much. So why...

"What do you want, Rokudo Mukuro?"

And that was when he realized that the skylark was under Chrome's spell. _Envy's spell_, Mukuro mentally corrected himself. Chrome let out a pathetic sniffle as Mukuro's eyes met hers. "Oya, dearest Chrome. What do you think you're doing?" Chrome sighed. "Mukuro-sama, they broke up already. He has every right to move on. Right, Kyoya-kun?" Hibari nodded, his movements jerky as if he was being controlled by a thin piece of string connected to his head. As Mukuro's eyes followed his movements, he could make out a small stream of indigo flames wrapped around Hibari's head. Envy really is making her move.

"Chrome, stop it this instant."

"I don't want to, Mukuro-sama. I love him and he loves me. _We're perfect for each other._"

Hibari's eyes widened suddenly, and he pushed her off him quickly. Chrome's expression became hurt. "Kyoya, what are you doing?"

"You." He snarled, slapping her hard with his tonfas. Chrome giggled and scooted away from him, leaving him to miss. "Kyoya-kun, you're single again right? Why won't you let me make a move?" Mukuro could almost read Chrome's, _the real Chrome's _terror underneath Envy's acts. Envy, Lust, even Rage. The seven sins are all like masks, covering the true feelings of the people who are the embodiments of such feelings. Or was it the other way around? Was Envy Chrome's true feelings, only amplified by her extreme jealousy of Kumiko's existence? Because of Kumiko's feelings for both Hibari and Mukuro? Or because Hibari and Mukuro both like her?

Mukuro now deems himself quite lucky that his sin only rears its ugly head when Kumiko is around. Even though he has a chance of injuring her anyway, he is capable of relative control. With Chrome, resistance is actually futile, as cheesy as it sounds. _The girls will is too weak. _Mukuro mentally chided her for not being strong enough. _I suppose it can't be helped, what with her weak state of mind. _Even though Chrome was causing a lot of trouble for him and Hibari, Mukuro couldn't bring himself to hate her. Even as his heart twisted with guilt, Mukuro realized that he was the source of all her problems, when he had asked her to pave a way for him to Kumiko's heart. The poor girl had been so deeply hopeful at the prospect of finally being able to interact with Hibari, so damn hopeful that she would be the one to capture Hibari Kyoya's heart, that she had willingly given everything, her heart and soul, to the cause. Mukuro was the cause of Chrome's madness. Mukuro was the very root of all her troubles.

And now he had to cure her.

"Chrome, you are being unreasonable."

"Mukuro-sama," She started, sounding hurt. "You were the one that taught me to fight for what I want, Mukuro-sama. You're the one being unreasonable. Favoring Kumiko this muc-"

"Where is she?" Hibari cut in. His voice is sharp, his tonfas are out. He looked absolutely murderous, and Mukuro realized that he had managed to break out of her illusion. Even though Hibari is Mukuro's sworn enemy, Mukuro couldn't help but admire him for his strength of will. It reminded him, in some weird way, of Kumiko and her will to continue living even with her disability, even with no friends. Mukuro gave him a nod, which Hibari saw and narrowed his eyes at, making Mukuro chuckle. Even though he's admirable in will, his pride is still stubbornly in place, keeping him from agreeing with virtually anyone.

"Where. Is. She." Chrome giggled more as Hibari's voice got more and more angry. "Somewhere you'll never find, Kyoya-kun." She disappeared, leaving the question and answer hanging in the air. Hibari smashed his tonfa into the wall in frustration. Why is she so troublesome? Why are female herbivores so demanding, so hard to take care of? Why did he have to rescue Kumiko every single time, just because she was too weak to fight for herself?

"You go." He ordered Mukuro. Mukuro nodded silently, swallowing his disappointment at Hibari's reactions. He was hoping that the Skylark would realize just how much he cared for Kumiko once more when Chrome's actions provoked him to stay with her, but instead it cause an opposite reaction. He was disappointed in Hibari.

Hibari sat back down on the bed, watching as Mukuro left the room quickly. His eyes travelled over the crumpled sheets, and he couldn't help but imagine what it would look like if Kumiko was lying beside him. He could almost see her smile, her small form curled up and pressed to his back. Something colorful caught his eye, and he delicately picked out a colorful, miniature crane from the sea of beige that was the covers of his bed.

_He missed her already._

* * *

><p>Kumiko shook her wrist, trying to get free. She knew that voice. She knew who was coming to get her, and it filled her with raw terror. Komatsu's back. She scrambled backwards as the sound of wheels scraping against the floor filled the room. Komatsu slowly wheeled her way into the cell, making the panicked brown-haired girl back into a wall and cover her face with her hands.<p>

"Tsk, tsk! What kind of a welcome is this for your old friend, Kumiko-chan?"

Terrified. She's terrified. She whimpered as Komatsu's hand shot out and hooked around her chains, pulling her forward slowly. "You know, Kumiko-chan, I still haven't paid you back for what you've done to my back. I hope you remember what happened."

She did. Of course she did. The chair, Hibari, the knife, the position, the crack, her spine, _everything. _Kumiko let out a soft scream and tugged harder. She clenched and unclenched her hands, willing the muscle to loosen and allow her to slip through. Komatsu lunged forward and clenched a bandaged hand around her throat, making her scream die out. "Kumiko-chan, we wouldn't want you to scream, now."

_We?_

"Chrome-chan, are the preparations ready?"

_Chrome? _Kumiko let out a choked sob. All her friends were turning against her now. Even Chrome, who she had actually trusted, got betrayed again by, and then finally forgiven, has turned against her completely. Kumiko curled up as much as the offending hand on her throat would allow her to, whimpering. Komatsu jerked her arm, making her choke and straighten once more. Her touch was painful, horrible fear was searing itself into her mind. If Komatsu so much as twitched her fingers, Kumiko would be dead. Kumiko found that she didn't care as much though. She had nothing left to live for. Chrome hated her. Hibari hated her. Mukuro...she wasn't sure what Mukuro wanted from her, but she was sure it wasn't something pleasant. If Komatsu clenched her hand tighter, it would only eradicate her pain, and she found that she didn't really care that much anymore. Hot, meaningless tears trickled down her face. Her heart hurts, and with a weird twisted sense of satisfaction, she realized that the pain in her neck was quite welcome. Her whole purpose, all her determination and her actions, had been fueled by her feelings for Hibari. She now realized that she had had a crush on him ever since he had caught her throwing paint out the window; she had been feeding off his strength, she had been influenced by his pride. She wanted him back.

Chrome trotted over with a scalpel. She smiled gently at Kumiko. "Kumiko-chan, this won't hurt at all. I promise." Her soft voice was like a balm to Kumiko's terror. The small girl went limp, dangling in Komatsu's hold. Komatsu pressed her down on the floor, keeping her still under one foot. Chrome approached with the scalpel, pressing it to her throat gently. "Kumiko-chan, keep still." She sounded genuinely concerned for Kumiko's health, but her voice had an unnaturally cold quality to it. Kumiko shivered and Komatsu pressed on her back harder, forcibly holding the small girl still. Kumiko resisted the urge to curl up into a foetal position, which she wanted to do whenever she felt scared. She coughed as Komatsu stomped onto her back cruelly, as if wanting to break her spine. She probably did want to break her spine, in return for her smashing the chair on her back.

"Dearest Nagi; If you hurt her, you're hurting me."

Mukuro flung Komatsu off Kumiko suddenly, making the girl in the wheelchair let out a hissed string of obscenities. Chrome slunk back into the shadows with a small, eerie giggle. "Hai...Mukuro-sama~" Mukuro pulled Kumiko off the floor and pulled her against him. The girl's tears soaked into his shirt and her hands searched for his.

_'I'm so weak. I know why Hibari-san hates me now. He thinks I'm weak.'_

"No, no, shh..." Mukuro gently stroked the back of her head, letting her cry into his chest. Her painful sobs wracked her body, and Mukuro held her tighter against him.

He wanted to keep her safe.

"Oi, Mukuro." Komatsu struggled to her wheelchair once more and tried to drag herself into it. Slowly and painfully, she inched herself into the chair. _Damn that stupid bitch, making me have to suffer like this. _Komatsu finally got back into the chair and straightened herself. "I remember you. Do you remember me?" Mukuro narrowed his eyes as he saw Komatsu unwrap the half of her face that was previously in bandages. The white sterile strips fell to the floor slowly.

"Nakamura." He hissed. Because somehow, as Mukuro caught sight of the red eye embedded in the ruined half of Komatsu's face, he knew that the hated man was back.

-  
>Hibari dreamed that Kumiko was next to him. And she could speak.<p>

_"Kyoya!" She laughed, gently running her hands through his hair. __**If I could turn back time, I could still be with her. I could refuse the akanbo's arrangements of ballroom dancing partners, I could have dinner with her...**_

_Hibari reached for her hand and she held onto him quickly. She laughed once more, her voice light and happy. "Kyoya...I love you a lot, you know that?" This is just making him feel worse about his current situation. Why did he break up with her anyway? His hands clenched, trapping her small fingers inside his large palms. He leaned forward. "I don't know if I love you though." He whispered. This is a dream, right? He could admit anything he wants._

_**I'm scared of losing you. I'm scared of losing myself more. I'm selfish like that, Kumiko. You know that, right? Even Mukuro's right, he deserves you more than I do.**_

_She shakes her head. Hibari looked on, wide eyed, as she continued to snuggle deeper into his chest. "I know." She assured him. "You used to tell me all the time. I love you though, and that's all that matters, because in the end, you did love me. _

_"I forgive you, you know that, Kyoya?"_

* * *

><p>Kumiko was running a high fever again. Mukuro continually pressed cold, damp towels to her forehead as she sniveled and coughed underneath his touch. His hands brushed against her flaming skin, and he cringed before pressing the cloth down firmly once more. If the senbazuru worked once, then it should work again right? Mukuro created origami paper out of nowhere and started to fold restlessly as Kumiko tossed and turned on the bed. Her raspy breathing sounds filled the air.<p>

"Kumiko, get better..." He muttered to himself as he folded. Blue and purple. Her favorite colors.

The door to his room opened, but he was too immersed in his paper folding to look at who it was. Said person padded quietly over to the bed, and that's when alarm bells started ringing in Mukuro's head. It might be Chrome...

"You-" He started, snapping his head up. It was Hibari. He was gently changing the damp towels on her forehead, peeling back the blankets in which she thrashed around and ensuring that they did not entangle around her small frame. "How dare you." Mukuro stated simply. His voice was bland. There was nothing in it, no emotion, no rage.

"I didn't mean I wanted her to die." The aloof skylark muttered quietly. Mukuro nodded once more at his arch rival in acceptance of the explanation. This still meant that he had every right to take care of Kumiko himself. He didn't want the skylark's help.

"You may leave. I have no need of your assistance." His voice came out icy cold and apathetic. Hibari dipped his head silently, ever so slightly. It was as if he was bowed under invisible sadness, the emotion weighing down on his shoulders. He nodded silently, but Mukuro noticed that his hand lingered on her forehead for a second longer than necessary. He was missing her, and Mukuro couldn't stop the feeling of sadistic pleasure at the skylark's pain. If he had the gall to hurt Kumiko so much, he deserved all the pain he was feeling.

* * *

><p>Hibari left the room as quietly as he had come in. Without him knowing, his feet were dragging. His body refused to leave Kumiko's side, and yet his mind urged him to pick up the pieces of his shattered pride and move on. He had even let Mukuro order him around, and he had done nothing to stop Mukuro from taking complete possession of his ex-girlfriend. <em>Girlfriend. <em>He had never really considered Kumiko as that until now. The word was foreign in his mind, the word rolling around his thoughts like a patch of oil clinging to water surface.

"Yaa, Hibari. What are you doing here all alone?"

Fon appeared, his ever smiling expression surprisingly calming to the torn Skylark. Hibari nodded once in acknowledgement of Fon's appearance, but didn't say anything. Fon nodded as well, completely understanding the Skylark's emotions.

"You know, your older self talked often about how much he cared for her." _Not really talked, _Fon reminded himself. _It was harder getting Hibari to talk than getting Lambo to give up a whole pack of grape candy. _Fon sighed quietly.

"Hn. I don't care."

Of course he doesn't. Hibari never liked her in the beginning. She was just some annoying herbivore that followed him around all the time like a puppy starved of attention.

He's getting better at ignoring the spears of pain in his heart every time he thought of her.

* * *

><p>AN: So, who are you guys going for now? Hibari x Kumiko or Mukuro x Kumiko?

Sorry for the atrociously late update, but next week is going to be hell for me so...I just wanted to post this before a tide of assessments hit me in the face. Thanks so much for supporting this fic; everyone who has reviewed, favorited or put this on alert. I will make sure you get the recognition you deserve soon, sorry for any late replies to reviews, but I am really busy right now...Thanks ever so much to **AppleDragon, **who didn't ignore my desperate plea for help even though it was 12:32 in the morning where she's at...

Yep! There it is, Chapter 25. Thoughts? Comments? Rages? Flamers? Preferred pairings?

Come at me, bro.


	26. Punishment Game

Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.  
>Rating: T.<p>

* * *

><p>Punishment Game<p>

* * *

><p>Kumiko woke up to the sound of a soft melody. She was lying in a bed. Blinking up at the ceiling, she slowly let her eyes adjust to the darkness of the room. The curtains are drawn, and small paper cranes dot the room once more. At first she thought Hibari went back to Namimori to fetch her cranes for her, but the more she looked at them, the more she knew that they were different than the ones that she had left back in Hibari's house.<p>

"Kufufufu~ Awake?"

There it was again, that soft tone. She looked for him and saw him standing by the corner, arms crossed. He had an indescribable expression on his face, a mixture between relief and longing. Longing for what, she didn't know. Kumiko sat up, tipping over a few cranes. When she saw that the cranes on the bed sheets beside her are all blue and purple, she picked up a purple crane, dipped her head and cried.

Mukuro came over immediately and hesitantly stroked her hair. He didn't dare embrace her, not while she was still vulnerable. Not while she can't fight back. Kumiko's tears continued to drip onto the bed sheets, drowning the purple crane she held in her hands. The paper became soggy, thin. It threatened to tear, and Mukuro quickly picked it out of her limp hands. She let it go.

"Don't cry." He urged her, his voice soft. There it was again, that hitch in his voice. He wanted to say something else, but he couldn't. It wouldn't come out of his mouth, no matter how much he wanted it to. Kumiko wiped away her tears angrily with a corner of the bedsheet and gave him a determined glare, much to his surprise.

_"I want to become stronger." _Her fingers etched onto his palm. Mukuro chuckled softly. "Would you like my assistance?"

She nodded quickly, looking at his fingers expectantly. He chuckled and patted her on the head softly. "Silly girl. It doesn't work that way. I can't just snap my fingers and make you stronger. First of all, tell me. What do you want to be stronger for."

Her mouth opened. _Hibari, _Mukuro thought, as he saw her mouth form his name. To his surprise, she bit it off in the middle. _Hib-_Mukuro looked away. So she was still pining after him. To Kumiko, he was nothing more than a mere stepping stone to get back together with the aloof skylark. How cruel was his fate. Mukuro decided then and there that he would win her heart, no matter what. She was still pining after Hibari, but that didn't mean that she would forever be missing him. She could have a change of heart, if Mukuro could show her the way.

Time to pull out his trump card.

* * *

><p>"Kumo-san?"<p>

Chrome's hesitant voice sounded out from the doorway. Hibari frowned. He had locked the door. How did she get in? He looked up, wary. She was a weak herbivore, yes, but that is not to say that she should be underestimated. One hand went to his tonfa, the other put down his book and reached behind him to...what? It was then that he realized Hibari was automatically trying to shield Kumiko from Chrome, but Kumiko wasn't there anymore, obviously. His hand fell limply onto the sheets. Chrome followed his movements.

"Kumo-san?"

"What." He snarled, his voice barely audible in the still air between them. Hibari Kyoya really did not need this tense silence right now. He wanted to read, to sleep. He wanted to fall back into the normal pattern of things, lest Kumiko come back and haunt him in his dreams. That's the last thing he wanted. Her becoming his weakness.

"Kumo-san...I want to say sorry."

_This isn't anything an apology can fix._"Hn."

Chrome flinched as his uncaring eyes met her purple orb. She blinked once and then dipped her head. "I won't do it again. I won't let her take over again." Hibari couldn't care less. Now that Envy wasn't going to try and break him and Kum-

He stopped himself again. Envy couldn't break them up anyway, because he had done the dirty deed himself. "Ku-"

"Shut up." He didn't want to hear anymore, didn't want to hear the pleas drop out of Chrome's mouth anymore. It was pathetic, that she would come running to him to beg for forgiveness, when she knew very well that Hibari didn't have any to give her. Chrome took two hesitant steps forward, and Hibari glared at her feet.

"Um..." She took a deep breath. "I can help you get back with her if you wa-"

"I have no intention of doing so, herbivore. Leave." But he did. His heart had risen ever so slightly at this. With a female to give him opinions, he would definitely be able to get her back. Why did he even break up with her in the first place, Hibari wasn't even so sure anyway. It could be that Mukuro wanted to taunt him, and that's wh-

Again, Hibari cut off his thoughts. Maybe it was meant for them to split up. The skylark is a solitary creature of the skies, anyway. There was no way he would be needing her accompaniment beside him.

Chrome bowed and shuffled back out the door. Hibari scoffed and turned his back on her, waiting to hear the 'click' that meant she was out of the room completely. As soon as she had left, he pulled his book out again, and took out his bookmark, flipping back to the page he was previously on. His bookmark tore slightly, and Hibari grimaced. He was using one of her cranes as a bookmark. He wondered if this would cause her to have any illnesses.

_"I didn't mean I wanted her to die." _That line still made him wince every time he relived that scene. It sounded weak in his ears, an ex-boyfriend declaring that he didn't mean any harm to his girlfriend, even though he had just said and done the most painful things to her during their break up. Even now, Hibari could still see the pain and confusion on her face, feel her tucked into his arms securely as he tried to get her to respond. It was when he realized that she was an illusion that caused him to snap completely. He was falling for illusions, losing his touch, all because of her. Even though he knew that she wasn't entirely to blame, that it was himself that agreed to such a disastrous relationship in the first place, he couldn't help but use her as a scapegoat. Hibari Kyoya was used to blaming the people around him for things that go wrong, simply because he did not know how to take responsibility. His pride would not allow it. Even now, he was almost rejecting the idea that he knew himself so well as to admit his faults. Hibari always liked to believe that he did not fall to such herbivorous activities such as making mistakes, but the truth is, he is human as well.

And the worst thing is, he could sense his arch enemy, the hated illusionist Rokudo Mukuro, coming to understand him more and more. Without really knowing it, Kumiko had been bringing the two enemies together to stand on common ground. They didn't just try to kill each other aimlessly now. They had a reason to compete. But now that reason was gone with her. She was Mukuro's now, and there was nothing he could do about it.

Hibari snapped off the reading light and pulled the blankets up. He imagined her warmth behind him, and sighed into the emptiness of his room.

* * *

><p>"Say 'ah'. It's a fundamental sound, Kumiko. You have to know it."<p>

She opened her mouth and coughed out the sound. Mukuro gave her a look of amusement. "Oya, you're getting there." She rubbed at her throat. How did it come to her so naturally in the hospital before? It's almost as if something is preventing her from forming the shapes, even though she was no longer technically mute anymore.

Mukuro had fixed her voice box.

"How about we try with something you're familiar with? Do you know how to say your name?"

"Kuuu-" She tried, making Mukuro chuckled. "Kufufu~ That sounds like you're trying to imitate my laugh. How cute."

"Kuh...fu!" She managed, giggling when Mukuro patted her on the head. "No, not my laugh. Your name. You must know how to speak your name, yes?" She nodded eagerly, clasping her hands together and screwing her face up in concentration. "Ku...kuu...mieeeh!" She laughed. She was mangling her own name, and it was funny. She hadn't felt like laughing like this in ages. Mukuro laughed with her, and then tapped her on the forehead gently. "Try again. Oya, you don't expect me to keep this illusion for you forever? We can only practice a few hours a day. Make the most of it." Because as much as Mukuro disliked Chrome right now, he was not so heartless as to abandon her when she was being taken over by Envy. He continued to sustain her body with his illusions, leaving little room for sustaining anything else, especially something as complex as giving a person a voice.

He vaguely found himself wondering how his older self did it. Did he abandon Chrome for Kumiko eventually? Or did Chrome learn to stand on her own two feet?

"S...ee..eense...iiiih." She drawled sarcastically, and Mukuro smirked. "Oya, your first is 'sensei'. Were you born mute?"

_No, I wasn't. _

The terror of what made her mute struck her silent for a few seconds. Mukuro hummed and asked her what's wrong, but she couldn't find it in herself to answer as she relived her parents' death. There was a motorcycle, the glass...She coughed and covered her ears. The silence pounded into them, and Mukuro was starting to become panicked once more. He didn't know that talking about her inability to speak would touch upon such a panicked subject.

_It was my birthday. Right, Papa, Mama?_

"My...bir...birthday." She choked out. She was overcome with the need to tell someone. Her hands reached out and grabbed Mukuro's hands suddenly, gripping them with all her might. Mukuro didn't wince at all. He stared into her eyes solemnly. "What about your birthday?"

"Th...e...the...car...c-" She stopped there, waiting for Mukuro to make sense of what she said. All her previously happy feelings were gone. She was serious. This was the first time someone would hear her story from her own mouth. Told with her own voice. She wanted to remember, and she wanted Mukuro to acknowledge. Mukuro nodded. "The car crashed, right?"

She swallowed painfully, looking for the courage to go on. Flashbacks of the accident came back to her in shards of memory. There was her mother, her father, the motorcyclist, broken bones, broken windows. "B..broken..." She declared, rubbing her throat with one hand. Mukuro took on a different expression. He looked completely understanding. Sympathising. Kumiko swallowed once more, noting the dry state of her throat. Mukuro gently stroked circles on the back of her hand with his thumb, silently giving her comfort. "What happened? What was broken?"

"M..my voice."

And she feels proud of herself for once.

* * *

><p><em>They were in the bamboo grove. The grass surrounding Hibari's house was wet with the dewdrops. It had just rained a few hours ago. Hibari had lain a blanket down, and they were lying on their backs, staring into the sky. It was just him and his younger self, and nobody else. Not even Kumiko.<em>

_"She taught me the constellations." He murmured to nobody in particular. His younger self struggled to sit upright, but Hibari pulled him down roughly. He couldn't forgive him for what he had done to their relationship. Hibari had wanted them to stay together. It would've saved a lot of pain that was sure to happen later. Now that they had broken up prematurely, Hibari had to change his plans. His younger self let out a growl of protest, but he was like a whining tiger cub to Hibari's sharp movements. After a while, the younger Hibari gave up. Leaning back, he let out a disgruntled snarl. "What do you want."_

_Hibari got up off the blanket. After a moment of hesitation, the younger Hibari got up as well. They dusted themselves off, finding amusement in the fact that their actions were mirrored exactly. Old habits die hard and they were practically each other anyway. _

_"Walk with me." Hibari murmured, and his younger self obliged without complaint. They strayed off the main path leading back to the town, and ended up fighting their way through thick foliage. Hibari walked silently, while his younger self occasionally let out huffs of irritation. It was with this method that Hibari worked out how mature he was. He smirked softly. His younger self still had quite some way to go, it seems. _

_"Where are we going." It was a demand, not a question. Hibari sighed softly and chose not to answer. They were going to a place that he visited frequently, and he didn't want to explain to his younger self just yet. _

_Finally, they reached a small clearing. Here, there was a small koi pond, decorated with stones and bamboo. It was clean, orderly. Disciplined, just as Hibari liked to call it. A small stone structure stood elegantly curved around the pond, inscriptions carved into the stone new and sharp. He saw, out of the corner of his eye, that his younger self had automatically stumbled towards the now identified tombstone in an effort to read the inscribed name. Hibari pulled him back quickly, unaffected by the glare that the younger Hibari sent his way. _

_"Sit down." _

_Hibari lowered himself slowly to a patch of dry soil beside the pond. The fish in the pond swam aimlessly round and round, and Hibari found himself dipping his finger into the warm water and stroking their scales. The fish nibbled at his exposed skin gently. They are as friendly as she was._

_"Wh-"_

_"Don't talk." Hibari craned his head back to look at the sky. This was her favorite spot in the whole world, she had once told him. Because she could see her favorite constellation at this angle, and also because Hibari and her were both shielded off from the world when they came to this clearing. It was almost like their secret, except everyone in the Vongola knows where it is because Kumiko often brings people over for group picnics. He remembered that there was even a group camping expedition, right here, a few steps away from his house. He had openly insulted her idea, and Kumiko had gotten so upset that she didn't want to talk to him for hours afterwards. Until Hibari agreed to be the one setting up the tents, of course. Then she had hugged him. Hibari remembered that he often scoffed with disdain at these 'herbivorous crowdings', but now he would do anything to hear her voice once more, asking him if she could hold a family picnic, or even have a family camping night. He wouldn't mind. He wouldn't even mind setting up the tents again. He wanted to hear her voice so much.  
><em>  
><em>His finger came out of the water, and trailed slowly down her gravestone. It traced her name, as if having a life of its own. After meeting Kumiko, he's gotten a lot more sentimental. Hibari couldn't even muster the energy to scoff at himself. It was ironic, how she was his weakness and his strength at the same time. The light that balanced the darkness within him. <em>

_"It's okay to miss her, but once you have her, you should've never let her go."_

_His younger self said nothing, but as Hibari turned, he could see his own pain mirrored in his younger self's eyes. He smirked. They were one person after all. _

* * *

><p>"Ciaossu, everyone! We're going to be arriving at Mafia Land soon, so please gather all your belongings and make sure that you leave nothing behind!" Reborn tossed the mic to Yamamoto, who caught it with a smile. Reborn's eyes swept the hall from his perch on the back of a chair, looking for Hibari and Mukuro and the brown haired girl who was always with them. He made out Mukuro's hair near the window, spiky and standing out from the normal hairstyles as always. There was Kumiko, standing next to him, head bowed and fiddling with something colorful in her hands.<p>

The raven haired male was nowhere to be found.

Reborn wasn't worried though. It was just like Hibari to not come to a whole family meeting. After all, he was a hater of gatherings and crowds. But still, Hibari is known to be punctual. Reborn hopped off the chair and went to greet Tsuna.

Reborn is sure the lonely skylark is fine.

* * *

><p>"Here. I win."<p>

Kumiko stuck out her tongue and tucked her fingers back into fists. They were playing 'chopsticks', a very childish game that Kumiko often used to pass the time. Mukuro is winning every single time, which she found very frustrating. At this rate, she would actually have to do a punishment game with him, in which he gets to tell her what to do for the whole day. It goes the other way as well, so Kumiko was quite eager to play. She wondered what Mukuro would look like with a pineapple atop his head for the whole day and giggled softly behind her hand. "C..Can we pla...y something else?" She whispered, still not quite used to having her voice back. Mukuro arched his eyebrow.

"Best of three. I'm obviously going to win, kufufufu. And then you'll have to listen to what I say."

She let out a small whimper, before taking on a determined gaze. "N..not loos..sing!" She sang, pulling out a notepad from her bag. Mukuro chuckled. "What are we playing, pictionary? Remember how that went?"

"Tic...tac-"

"Toe." Mukuro finished with a pleased expression. "Excellent. I'm very good at that game."

"So...ah...am I." She shot back at him, trying to sound confident through her stutters. Mukuro patted her condescendingly on the head, and then watched as she shakily drew the grid. "Alright, why don't you start?"

Three minutes later, Mukuro was losing the game really badly. The more he tried to connect the things together, the more she was able to put her pieces together faster. He was becoming a little bit frustrated, which shows in the way that he drew out his laughter as he waited for his turn. He really wanted to win, for obvious reasons. Kumiko smiled. "All or no...thing?" She offered him, drawing the last grid on the table.

Mukuro gladly agreed. This time he would win for sure.

She started with the circle in the top right hand corner, and Mukuro started with an 'x' in the bottom left hand corner. Both of them were so immersed in the game, so bent over the pad of paper, that they didn't realize their foreheads were touching. They were so concentrated on beating each other, that Hibari walked right up to the two of them before either of them knew what was wrong.

He cleared his throat. "Herbivores."

Kumiko was the first one to look up. She blushed immediately upon seeing that she and Mukuro were at such close proximity. Mukuro looked up in a much slower manner, his arrogant attitude showing once more. "Oya, if it isn't the Skyla-"

Hibari grabbed Kumiko's hand and tried to drag her away. Mukuro stopped him immediately with a firm hand on his arm. "Why don't you ask her first? Lest you hurt her more, _Hibari Kyoya._" His heterochromatic eyes shone with defiance, and Kumiko slowly pulled her hand out of Hibari's grasp, wide-eyed.

"S..sorry...Hiba..bari-san, but I t..thought you..didn't want me anymore." Hibari's eyes widened. She could speak? Did she actually ask for Chrome's assistance? His eyes travelled to find the female illusionist, but met Mukuro's proud smile instead. He let out a scoff of disgust. So of course, it was the sly pineapple-head that decided to win favors from her with this little trick of his. Hibari felt heat rushing towards his head when he realized that he really had nothing to offer her. Nothing to get her back. She didn't even have any reason to come back with him, what with the way he's been treating her, throwing her around like trash. By now, Hibari had swallowed a good portion of his pride and was seriously considering enlisting Chrome's help, no matter how difficult she was going to be in this impossible quest to get his hurt Kumiko back. And to make matters worse, she didn't look like she wanted to get back together with him yet.

It wasn't this simple. He couldn't come back to her just out of the blue and drag her off anymore. Kumiko steeled her heart and took a step back from Hibari. His face twisted with pain for a second, before he too took a step away from her. It was as if he was acknowledging the distance between them, and that simple fact broke her heart all over again. _What happened? We were supposed to stay together! _She coughed and smiled, albeit painfully. "Sorry...but y..you hurt me, Hibari." She felt selfish, full of arrogance and pride as soon as the sentence came out of her mouth. He had hurt her, so she had the right to hurt him? A few days ago, and she would've disagreed entirely with this, but she had learnt that giving herself wholly to Hibari wasn't going to keep him by her side.

Hibari's expression became even more miserable, though he tried hard not to show it. His careful mask of apathy was cracking, shown through the slight downward curve of his mouth and the glint of disapproval in his eyes. Kumiko's own eyes stung with tears, but she promised herself that she wasn't going to give in, and that she would follow her own beliefs this time. "Sorry.." She whispered, before turning away from her ex-boyfriend and running off, Mukuro trailing closely behind. Hibari stood there, slightly stunned, slightly annoyed.

His face darkened further when Mukuro turned back to give him a look of sympathy. It tore a whole new hole in his pride when he realized that it was genuine.

Their roles had reversed suddenly. Mukuro was the one that she needed more now, and Hibari was the chaser. He was no longer with her, they were no longer together, Kumiko no longer needed him.

And Hibari didn't know what to do.

* * *

><p>"Ne, ne, Chrome...or should I call you Envy? What was with that? You went up to him and actually apologized? Were you just trying to win favors from the bird boy? That's disgusting." Chrome could practically hear the contempt oozing out of her voice. She didn't flinch at all.<p>

"I do what I want, Komatsu."

"Getting feisty, hoh, Envy?"

"I do what I want, and I get what I want."

"So then, what would you like to try and do? Eliminate her?"

"Hmm, that would be a good idea."

Komatsu's face twists into an ugly expression. "Tch. I remember when I last thought it would be easy to kill her. Ah~ She was so weak looking. Easy pickings, ya know? And then suddenly, she has all these disgustingly powerful allies. Tch. I'm definitely going to kill her this time."

"Sorry, but she's mine to kill."

"...Envy..."

"This time it'll be easier without Hibari by her side right? All we have to do is draw Mukuro-sama away. And then she'll be all alone and helpless. This time, we should make it quick. Last time, you had too much fun torturing her. So, what do you say about being the distraction?"

"Tch! That's what I always am, anyway. Besides, it's not like I can do anything with this stupidly broken body. It's all I can do just to stay alive, Envy."

"Who knows?"

"Hn?"

There was that look on her face again. It frightened even Komatsu. Chrome had an unnaturally evil look about her, and her aura was dark. Komatsu shivered involuntarily as she wheeled past the chuckling girl. "Ne, Komatsu, who knows if the extent of your abilities reach up to your physical state? It's not like you're ever going to become weaker just because your imobilized, are you, Pride?"

"Heh, Envy, not too bad at it yourself, are you? How did you find out?"

"It was your eye." Chrome fingered her own right eye, smirking. "Nakamura's passed it on to you?"

"Nah. I am Nakamura."

* * *

><p>Hibari watched her walk away with Mukuro. They departed from the ship soon after, making Hibari ground his teeth together in anger. How dare she just ignore him like that. She should at least listen to what he has to say!<p>

But now that he thought about it, he never gave her a chance to explain anyway. How would she ever give him a chance this way? "Tch." It's almost ironic, but Hibari would say that he deserved this treatment from her. It was only fair that they reacted to each other in this manner. Hibari huffed and stepped off the ship himself, shading his eyes from the sun. It was blindingly bright, painting his surroundings white and yellow for a short minute. As soon as his eyes had adjusted to the blinding brightness, he swept his surroundings for the familiar bob of brown hair, and that small figure. There she was, running along the beach. She was alone, Mukuro was to the side talking to Chrome about something.

Here's his chance.

Hibari took off, his loping strides bringing him closer to her by every second. Her retreating back made him more determined to reach her, more determined to grasp onto her arm.

"Herbivore."

She turns, eyes bright with happiness. Shock flickers across her expression, and Hibari smiles slightly. She wasn't expecting him to come after her in this manner, after all. Hibari grasped onto her arm, careful not to hurt her. "Herbivore, stop."

She flung herself into his arms, hugged him briefly, and then drew away just as quickly. Hibari let go of her arm, painfully aware of the way his heart had stopped when she had hugged him. He could still smell her chocolatey scent, and he vaguely wondered where she even inherited that smell from. It's not like she used chocolate shampoo, did she?

She gave him an apologetic look and turned away. Hibari didn't bother to go after her anymore. He was man of few words anyway, and Kumiko respected that, being a girl without a voice. That simple motion of hers told him everything he needed to know. He knew what she meant already. She had said her goodbyes. She wanted a new start, because he had hurt her too much for her to take him back just because he wanted to say a few words of apology. And if Hibari wanted her back, he would have to show her that she meant more than just a herbivore to him. That was his true challenge, and it was one that Hibari was willing to take up. After seeing her grave with his older self, after seeing the living, breathing proof of how broken he would actually become if he lost her forever, Hibari knew that he had to get her back by his side. The only problem is that apologizing is not an option for him. Hibari knew that he wouldn't have said those two damned words anyway.

He's too proud.

* * *

><p>"Oya, oya. What are you doing to my tropical fruit punch?"<p>

Kumiko stirred it with a determined expression on her face. She picked up a slice of lemon, squeezed the juice into the drink and then continued stirring. She added a few more ingredients, including a pack of sugar, some orange juice, a mushed up, pulpy chunk of pineapple and blended guava, before passing it back to the waiting Mukuro.

Mukuro had decided to keep a close eye on her, because of Envy being able to come out of Chrome any moment. They decided to stay in a twin suite, where there are two rooms but it's connected by a door. Of course, since this whole amusement park is built on the money that Mafioso's earn through their trade, everything is ten times more luxurious than what you would find in a normal five-star hotel. They had their own kitchen, own bathroom, floor to ceiling windows of the view of the whole island. Everything, from the curtains to the television to even opening the fridge, is controlled by a small remote control. The television has every single channel available, including the CIA top secret broadcasts, much to Mukuro's amusement.

They were currently sitting together in the kitchen, Mukuro taking a perch on the bar and Kumiko mixing him a tropical fruit punch. All the ingredients were delivered right to their hotel room as soon as they call room service, and everything is free of charge because Tsuna is the Vongola Don, which means that he basically owns this whole resort. Of course, while Tsuna is still trying to get his head wrapped around that fact, Reborn is already training him to act the part. The poor Vongola Decimo is currently running laps around the whole resort with his faithful right hand man, as well as the noisy boxer. Mukuro chuckled. This is one of the rare times that he is actually thankful for having joined Sawada Tsunayoshi's rag tag gang of tenth generation Mafia.

"Done..." She whispered. Mukuro noted with the proud air of a parent whose toddler had just started to walk that her pronunciation is getting better with every word she spoke. It really is true that she was a quick learner, and Mukuro is strangely prideful of that fact.

Kumiko finished off the fruit punch with a cute little umbrella and cherry, stabbing the umbrella into an unsuspecting, floating piece of pineapple. Mukuro winced slightly, not sure if she had done so deliberately to taught him or had done so in her unknowing, innocent way. She passed the drink over, smiling at him widely and clasping her hands together, as if awaiting the judgement of a seasoned food taster. Due to the fact that their game of tic-tac-toe had been interrupted by one annoying Skylark, the two had agreed on a mutual punishment game. Mukuro could make one request, and then Kumiko could make a request, and this would continue on for the whole day until exactly 8 pm at night.

Mukuro raised the concoction to his nose and took a sniff of the liquid warily. It smelled really fruity, which was not at all a bad thing. At least she didn't inherit the very deadly skills of one poison scorpion, who had tagged along just so that she could stay close to her 'beloved Reborn'. Mukuro sipped at the fruit punch cautiously. It tasted fine...very pineapply, but he didn't have any problems with pineapples anyway.

It was when he took a big swig of the drink that he realized...maybe Kumiko did inherit Bianchi's skills after all. It tasted terrible. The tastes collided in his mouth, giving the whole drink an overall bitter and sour taste. The orange that she had used was overripe, slightly rotting. The lemon was over juicy yet underripe, giving it the bitter, sour taste. And the sugar had made the whole thing start to taste artificial and fake, almost like eating a plastic, fruit fondue cake. Mukuro pressed a hand over his mouth and resisted the urge to gag, because Kumiko was right in front of him, looking impossibly proud at her creation. He forced down a mouthful and tried to set the drink back on the table, silently promising himself that he would not ask her to cook anything anymore. Or at least make a drink that she didn't know how to make.

"Kufufu~ That tasted interesting." Her eyes travelled to his glass once more, and Mukuro grimaced slightly. She couldn't be expecting him to finish the whole cup, right? He winced when she eagerly offered him the drink of doom once more, and Mukuro had to gag down another mouthful. He had half a mind to tell the girl to taste her drink before she gave anything to him, but knowing her, she would take offense at such a comment and refuse to play the punishment game all together.

Thankfully, Kumiko beamed and cleaned away the drink when the cup was only half emptied. Mukuro let out a barely audible sigh of relief, convinced that he had just narrowly escaped death through drink poisoning. He turned to send her a smile, and that's when she set a plate of freshly made pancakes in front of him.

Mukuro gulped. It's not that they don't look appetizing...

* * *

><p>Hibari had ordered one pack of green tea for him to put in his cup, and they had come up with a whole box of the most finely farmed green tea leaves. With a sigh, Hibari had set about preparing his favorite drink in the whole world.<p>

With his cup of freshly brewed green tea and a book in his hand, he started towards his bed. He didn't feel like doing anything, and he didn't feel like thinking about anything either. Hibari found that the best way for him to relax is for him to read a book and drink green tea. It's ironic, because this is how it all started. But then again, this is also going back to a routine lifestyle for him, and so Hibari found that he didn't really mind it that much.

"Hibari~"

Hibari had somehow managed to take Hibird with him. Though with his authority as Vongola Cloud guardian, it's not as if he couldn't take his beloved companion with him wherever he went. Hibird chirped happily and fluffed up his feathers, drifting down to land on his finger. Hibari absentmindedly started stroking Hibird's feathers, feeling comfort in the familiar softness and canary yellow.

"Hibari! Kumiko~ Hibari?"

Hibari sighed. He was proud of Hibird's intelligence, but there are some times when he simply wishes that the bird wasn't so perceptive. The little canary had it's head tilted slightly sideways, and was looking for Kumiko, who it acknowledges as it's master's possession almost as sure as it knew it himself belonged to Hibari. To Hibird, Kumiko was another one of master's pets, albeit one that he lavishes attention on constantly, and talks to more. Despite this, Hibird was too intelligent for petty jealousy, and had merely watched on the sidelines as his master's feelings became easier to deal with, and that the female herbivore, as his master so liked to refer to her as, was becoming really close friends with Hibari.

"Kumiko?"

Thus, Hibird would look for her, because Hibird knew that Kumiko being there would make his master happy. The sweet little bird was always looking for ways to make Hibari happy.

"She's gone."  
>Hibird tilted his head. As intelligent as the bird can get, it didn't understand the meaning of those words. "Find? Hibari find Kumiko?" And Hibari's heart was torn in half once more.<p>

He glanced out the window, trying to block out the noise of the bird. Across his floor, through the floor to ceiling glass windows on the opposite side of the building, Hibari could make out a very Kumiko-like person walking around. He narrowed his eyes. He's seeing her everywhere, like a heartbroken herbivore. It disgusted him.

It was only until the Kumiko-like person was joined by a Mukuro-like person that Hibari realized that the apartment across from his is indeed Mukuro and Kumiko's shared twin suite. Mukuro came and went, slamming the connecting door and opening it again and again. The very fact that they were sharing a room, even though it was technically two rooms connected by a door, enraged him. She was getting so intimate with Mukuro already, almost as if she had planned to be dumped by him from the start, had planned to play with his heart and cause all these herbivorous emotions to emerge before dumping him for his arch enemy. IT almost seemed like a bad joke, or a bad dream.

"Kumiko~" Hibird chirped quietly, fluttering at the window. Kumiko turned her head in his direction, almost as if sensing the call. Their eyes met, and she blinked. No longer was there fear in her eyes. She seemed determined to keep her eyesight trained on his steely gray orbs, almost as if testing herself to hold her ground. There was that spark of unreasonable pride, shooting through Hibari's chest. The herbivore is learning from her mistakes. She's trying to overcome her fear of him.

After a few seconds, Mukuro sauntered into view once more. Hibari picked up the remote for the curtains and drew them across his windows. He didn't want to see what happened anymore.

* * *

><p>It was Mukuro's turn, and it was his last go. Kumiko yawned and stretched her arms high above her head, turning to grab the handle of the connecting door. The two of them had made sure that their curtains were drawn, both for different reasons. Kumiko, because she didn't want to hurt Hibari any more than she had to, and Mukuro for his final request.<p>

"Kumiko, I want to ask you something."

She knew what it was by the way his tone suddenly became serious. Mukuro hadn't had his heart in the game throughout the whole morning, occasionally giving jokey commands such as "Do a tap dance across the hallway." or "Star jump on the bed 60 times." Kumiko had known that he was preparing something big for the end, else he wouldn't have wasted his chances so much. In a way, the joking commands were either to tease her, or to get her more comfortable with him, or to decieve her into thinking that he wasn't going to ask anything serious of her.

"Look at me." He murmured, and Kumiko did. A punishment game is a punishment game, and there is nothing she can do about it, lest she makes herself seem like a cheater. Mukuro caught her gaze with his eyes, staring into her brown orbs solemnly.

"Go out with me. I've lik-..no. Loved you for quite a while now. Yes, loved. At first, I wasn't quite sure why I felt this way about you, but then I realized that I wanted you simply because you are beautiful, you are strong, and I want you to be mine. It wasn't that the Skylark had his eye on you first. I won't go to such petty levels to compete with him. It was the fact that I had been in love with you for quite some time now, and I didn't realize it until it was too late. It was the fact that whenever you got hurt, whenever you cried, I felt in pain as well. I want to love you properly, and I promise not to hurt you as Hibari has done. So please..." At this, his voice dropped a bit, almost to a raspy, desperate whisper. "Please. Give me a chance."

And then Kumiko realized that the punishment game was uneven, that she was missing her turn. So she responded with a simple two words, even though it made her feel slightly uncomfortable to say them. All she knew is that both she and Mukuro needed to hear it.

"Kiss me." She replied, her voice soft and sweet. She wanted this too, she reminded herself. Maybe Mukuro would help her heal her heart.

Mukuro wasted no time in complying.

* * *

><p>AN: Another update! YAY!

Sensei - Teacher

Thanks to those who reviewed...

Chapter 24: **starish-sky, Kairi0403, Kei-sama18, Rotten Heresy and Chocolate, mirageseason132, ShizukaRen-Hime, xXBloodyIllusionXx, Bree Renee, Clair Kingsleigh  
><strong>

Chapter 25: **VongolaViv, NairaxHibari, Clair Kingsleigh, LadyShinkukaze, Victoria Alyss Selene, xXBloodyIllusionXx, Musica Masaharu, , Noface, ShizukaRen-Hime, novellanite12. **

Thanks so much for the show of support, guys, and I promise that I will get back to you directly through PM to thank you all individually, but right now I'm a bit busy, so some of you have gotten replies but some of you haven't. Sorry, and please know that I appreciate all your lovely comments!

Right. How did you think of the new chapter? Please leave a short review :3


	27. True Strength

Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn!  
>Rating: T<br>A/N: I know it's getting kind of confusing, what with Nakamura being Komatsu and all, but for now, Nakamura will still be referred to as Komatsu, as he is currently using Komatsu's body. When he's actually thinking in Nakamura mode, I will mention it somewhere before his thoughts come out. You'll see soon enough!

* * *

><p>True Strength<p>

* * *

><p>"Oh fuck...move a little more to the right...come on!" Komatsu adjusted the sniper rifle, accidentally scraping her hands on the rough bark of the tree she was currently stationed on. She hissed a few more swearwords and then worked on getting her heart rate back down so that she could actually hit her target once more. Her target rolled slowly to the side, still unaware of the dangerous assassin right outside the window. The moonlight glinted off the barrel of the gun, and the target sighed softly, burying her face deeper into the pillows. Her brown hair splayed over the white pillows messily. Komatsu grunted with irritation as the target shifted slightly to the left once more, leaving the hotel room lamp to obscure her view. She shuffled along the branch until she finally had a clear view again. The crosshairs on the scope finally aligned with her target's chest. Komatsu watched as the chest rose and fell a few more times, heavy with the breath of sleep.<p>

In between heartbeats, she tightened her hand on the trigger. As her heartbeats slowed, she wondered just what would happen if she pressed the trigger. For one, the targeted person would be dead, gone, found the next morning as nothing more than a lump of lifeless meat staining the white bedsheets with a scandalous red.

She pulled the trigger without a second thought.

* * *

><p>"Mukuro-sama?" Chrome knocked gently on Mukuro's door. Mukuro opened it and ushered her inside immediately. Chrome sauntered over to the window and peered out, her movements jittery and shaky. Mukuro sighed. "Dear Nagi, did you have a nightmare again?" Chrome nodded silently. For the past few days, Envy had been feeding her horrible images of people dying, especially images of Mukuro's dead body seeped in blood, or Hibari's lifeless eyes staring back at her. She felt as if she was reaching a breaking point.<p>

"Sit down." Mukuro patted the space beside him on the mattress, and Chrome obediently wandered over to plonk down on the white sheets. Mukuro sighed. "Are you sure you can't see anything that she might try to do next?" Chrome shook her head dejectedly and leaned on Mukuro's shoulder. She felt heavy with sadness. Haunted with the fact that she was still useless in the end, the fact that she couldn't even control her own emotions. Mukuro gently brought his hand up to stroke her hair, but it wasn't an intimate action. It was more of a comforting action, and he knew that he wouldn't be able to alleviate her pain anytime soon. Unless...

"Mukuro-sama? Can I ask you a question?" Mukuro's hand stilled atop her head, and Chrome removed herself from his side. She cast him a quizzical glance when he didn't answer immediately, his eyes vacant and not seeing her at all.

"Chrome." Finally, Mukuro lifted his head and looked her in the eyes. His heterochromatic eyes drilled into her soul, pinning her to her place. She wanted to be acknowledged, not looked at like she was some kind of freak. Mukuro was currently looking at her as if he didn't know her at all, and it hurt her deep inside. Mukuro-sama was close to her, and to have someone she had known for many years act as if he didn't recognize her hit a nerve. What would she have to do to get his acknowledgement? What would she have to do to convince him that it was really Envy who was controlling her actions, that she never wanted to hurt Kumiko at all?

"Chrome, go sit in the chair by the window." Chrome nodded, still confused. Nonetheless, she got up and obediently made her way back to the window, shuffling a little so that she could perch on the edge of the chair. Her muscles stiffened and she tensed as she saw Mukuro give her a contemplative smile. It was uncomfortable, the way he was staring at her, as if she was his new prisoner. A prisoner of war, that is.

"Mukuro-sama...what do you see in her?" The question caught the male illusionist by surprise. He smirked, wondering how he should tackle this question. In the end, he found that he should just answer the question with another question. "What do you see in Hibari Kyoya? Is it not the same feeling?"

_It is. It isn't. _Chrome's head spun. She hated Kumiko. She didn't hate Kumiko. Is this because she likes Hibari? Or does she have more feelings for Mukuro? Mukuro took her further bemusement as an opportunity to question her further. His plan is finally able to be put into action.

"Chrome, let me tell you. This is about love. There really is nothing much to look for. You just feel as if it's the person you were waiting for your whole life. I have not learnt anything yet from this feeling, yet I think I will. I have just started a relationship with her so I am not expecting much out of it. Chrome, you will never understand until you learn to fight for what you want, remember? But fighting for what you want does not constitute hurting Kumiko, because hurting her means you're hurting me. Directly. Understand?"

Chrome coughed, blood splattering her skirt as her eyes widened in surprise. Her chest heaves with panic. What is Mukuro-sama doing to her? Why is Mukuro-sama telling her this now of all times? Is he trying to provoke _her_? Chains snapped around her arms and legs, tying her into the chair, and the last thing that Chrome remembers is Mukuro's smirk. That devilish smirk that made her want to scream and cry and laugh all at the same time.

"What do you want?" The voice that came out of her throat was colder than ice. Mukuro sat down on the bed once more and turned to face her, the Chrome who is not Chrome. Envy.

"I want to know your plans."

And then she started laughing.

* * *

><p>Kumiko was jolted awake by the sound of running water in the next door hotel suite. She got up to pour a cup of water for herself with the pitcher of water on the table next to the window. After a while, she walked over to the door linking her and Mukuro's room together, leaning her ear against the door curiously. She could hear people talking on the other side. Is Mukuro having a midnight snack party? If so, then why didn't he invite her? She coughed silently to herself when she heard Mukuro shuffling around on the blankets. She shouldn't invade his privacy like this. She skipped backwards a bit and pressed a finger to her lips. The memory of his kiss still lingers in her head, and she blushed faintly into the darkness. The red of her cheeks bled into the ebony of the room. Why did she even make that request? Was it because she wanted to see what she would feel about him? That kiss was just an experiment?<p>

"...iko...as to go...ill her?" She caught the slight whisper of her own name and was immediately interested in the conversation once more. Stepping forward so that she could press her ear against the door, she strained to catch any whispers. Hushed conversing could be heard. Kumiko could make out Mukuro's voice, and another voice which sounded much more feminine. After listening closely for a few more minutes, she realized that it's Chrome. At the same time, she found Chrome's voice strange, almost unfamiliar. She couldn't really put her finger on as to why it irked her so much, but Chrome's voice made her want to shiver and duck under the blankets on her bed.

"...ufufu~ T...ne...ary." It was frustrating, the fragments that she could make out of their conversation. It was about her, she was sure. Mukuro's laugh sounded loudly, making her jump slightly. The cup of water she held in her hand sloshed over and splashed onto the carpet. Immediately, the sounds from the other room ceased. Kumiko gasped slightly and placed the cup back on the table before making a dive under the blankets. Would Mukuro get angry with her for eavesdropping? If it was Hibari, Hibari would've come in and hit her already. She shivered. Even though she keeps telling herself to be stronger so that she could show Hibari that she wasn't weak, she couldn't help but be slightly scared of Mukuro. And what about the new, hostile Chrome? What happens if she finds out that Kumiko has been eavesdropping on their conversation? The door opened, creaking slightly. She imagined she could hear her heartbeat thundering against her ears, blood rushing to her face. Someone grabbed her leg and she let out a scream.

"Kufufufu~ A little tense here, are we?" Mukuro's kind eyes regarded her shivering form. Kumiko gasped and he dropped her foot immediately. She sat up, blushing and pulling her pajamas down in embarrassment. Mukuro chuckled and reached out to gently stroke her cheek. "Calm down. It's only me. Who did you think it was? The boogie monster?"

She flushed, slightly angry and slightly embarrassed. She is fifteen, for heaven's sake! Why would she believe in something so preposterous as the 'boogie monster' or whatever! Mukuro could probably sense her mood turning dangerously negative, and so he immediately pulled her into a soft hug, stroking her back to calm her down. "What's wrong, Kumiko? Did you need anything?" He touched her throat gently and Kumiko knew that she had been given a license to speak. "Water." She declared hoarsely, and Mukuro got up to pour her a cup. He raised an eyebrow at the patch of wet carpet by the door, but didn't seem to want to comment on it. He handed over the cup, which she took eagerly.

"Oya, were you having a nightmare?" She shakes her head no. Mukuro watches her down the drink in two gulps, wondering if her throat had been hurting. He gently takes the cup from her and sets it on a side table, before turning taking her by the shoulders. He gently pushes her down onto the bed. Her eyes were fixated on his own orbs, and something akin to fear flashed through her expression. Mukuro's heart thundered painfully as he realized that she was still a bit scared of him. What had the request for a kiss been then? Was it all a fluke? As if able to sense the doubt in his gaze, Kumiko had settled comfortably in the bed. Mukuro slid in beside her, stroking her hair and pressing his face into her neck. She giggled as his skin tickled a sensitive spot, and Mukuro grinned mischievously. "Do you need me to tuck you in?" She giggled harder and gasped when he gently started trailing kisses down her cheek. His hands played with her spine. She wriggled under his touch. To Mukuro's surprise, she leaned forward and planted a kiss on his lips. To his disappointment, her lips were closed. He tangled his fingers into her hair and pressed her closer, feeling the need to inhale more of her scent. It was a dangerous game she's playing, tempting him like this. Mukuro didn't know how much it would take for him to snap, but when that happened, it wasn't going to be pretty. Slowly, he tasted her lips. They were chapped, dry, and as Mukuro bit down on them, he tasted blood. He drew back quickly, it was too much. Her essence was invading his senses. Kumiko licked her own lips and frowned at the taste of blood.

"Sorry, dear Kumiko. I wanted to kiss you deeply." There was no middle ground for the two of them. Mukuro was as straightforward as he could be, because for all the ambiguity that Hibari had made her go through, he rather thought the poor girl could use some straightforward statements. Kumiko nodded and kissed him again, this time with her lips parted slightly so that he could take it wherever he wanted from there. Mukuro groaned, feeling the need to have her rising. He pushed her away softly and rolled off the bed, perching so that he was sitting on the edge of the mattress. She gave him a quizzical look, and he returned it with a smirk. "Oya, oya~ So bold of you to initiate kisses, dear Kumiko." She blushed and buried her face in the pillow. She had just wanted to see what it was like to kiss someone herself! All the times she had shared kisses with Hibari, he was the one who had initiated the contact, usually in rough ways such as shoving her against the wall. Her face reddened as she thought of herself being aggressive in kissing. She could not see herself ever kissing someone roughly. Luckily for her, Mukuro had been just as gentle with her as she was with him, and that was what had really sparked it off for the two of them. Mukuro's fingers lingered on her shoulder and she shivered slightly at his touch. It was no less than electrifying. He rubbed his palm against her smooth skin, waiting for her to stop trembling and for himself to stop wanting before leaning in once more.

"Would you like me to tell you a bedtime story?"

She nods and arches her back as Mukuro bites down gently on a shoulder blade, almost hesitantly asking for intimate contact. Kumiko smiled and moved aside for him to roll back on the bed. He lies on his back, his hands safely tucked under his head. And then he weaves a wondrous tale of dragons and mermaids and demons and knights for her, better than any she has ever read in any storybooks before. Kumiko's eyes drooped even as he starts telling her about the romance that blossomed between the knight and, curiously, a cursed girl of the village. It was a sweet tale, she thought, even though it was filled with dark magic and horrible curses. As Mukuro got up to the part where the knight finally decides to kiss the girl for the first time, Kumiko is curled up against him, her arms wrapped around his arm and her head lying on his chest. The slow rhythm of her breaths lulls Mukuro, and even he slows down in his story telling and dozes off half way. He finishes the tale, stands up and kisses her gently on the cheek, before tucking her into the bed and firmly placing the blankets and excess pillows around her, in sort of a protective fortress formation.

He stands and stretches, deciding to continue his interrogation of one of the legendary seven sins, currently still bound and struggling in his own room. He looks up briefly at the window and sees a steely gray flash.

"Oya...I see you're still not asleep, skylark. I wonder, did that hurt? Seeing us together?" _It must've. _Rokudo Mukuro murmurs softly to himself, before going to the windows and drawing the curtains. It was better for Hibari this way anyway.

He goes back into his room, casts one glance at his peacefully slumbering girlfriend, and closes the door silently after himself.

* * *

><p>All the guardians were lined up next to a wall. Reborn stood in front of them, dressed stylishly in his usual fedora and suit, his pacifier shining brightly in the midday sun. It was sunny, but not hot, as occasional breezes float through the vicinity, blowing bouts of fresh, crisp air onto their skin. Gokudera stood at attention, by his Jyuudaime as always. The brunette looked especially nervous today, and it probably had something to do with the dangerous glint in Reborn's eyes. Yamamoto stood to Tsuna's left, laughing at the cheeriness of the atmosphere. Chrome and Mukuro stood side by side, looking like a pair of wayward siblings sporting the same hairstyle. Mukuro was twirling his trident absently, while Chrome fiddled with her fingers nervously. The two of them seemed uncomfortable with each other. Ryohei stood to the left of Yamamoto, screaming boisterously at nothing in particular, as per usual. His shouts are accompanied with the occasional fist pump and shuffling of feet. Hibari stood next to Ryohei, looking decidedly emotionless.<p>

"Onii-san, be careful!" Kyoko called, gently adjusting her brother's collar.

"WE'RE GOING TO BE FINE, KYOKO! YOU DON'T NEED TO WORRY SO MUCH ABOUT ME!" Ryohei exclaimed happily, gently knocking her hand away. Kyoko bit her lip and backed off, going to stand next to Haru and Kumiko.

"Kyoko, Haru, Kumiko. You don't have to worry about them, they are just going to undergo some exercises. It's not life threatening." Reborn said, his eyes fixed on the back of Tsuna's head from his position on Yamamoto's shoulder. Tsuna squirmed, as if feeling the baby's gaze on him. _Yea right, Reborn! We're probably going to have to fight to the death or something! HIIIIEEE!_

Kyoko and Haru both move to clasp their hands together, looking worried. "Tsuna-san, you must take care!" Haru all but whimpered to her 'future husband'. Tsuna gulped and then let out a resigned sigh. He could only be grateful that Kyoko and Haru were so caring. He sneaked a glance to all of his other guardians. Ryohei looked enthusiastic as always, raring to go at whatever death trap Reborn had prepared. Yamamoto was laughing in his ever carefree manner at a fuming Gokudera. Chrome was tapping her trident gently against the ground, her expression unreadable. Hibari had his face turned away from the 'crowd of herbivores', his expression most probably blank. Mukuro was smiling at Kumiko, and the shy girl was beaming back, almost as if saying that she would trust him to come back soon. Tsuna's head reeled. _Wasn't she with Hibari just a few days before? Why Mukuro now?_

"Everyone, I'll give you ten minutes to prepare yourselves. Meet back here at 9:00 am, sharp. I'll assign your personal tutors. Kyoko, Haru, Kumiko, you may wander the island as you please. But wear this." He handed them each a badge with the Vongola Crest stamped on it. It was for their protection, for other Vongola family members will be keeping an eye out for the three of them. It might not be needed anyway, for other Famiglias will not dare mess with any of the Vongola. All three of them regard the badges with varying degrees of interest. Kyoko thinks it's a beautiful decoration, Haru laughs and hopes that this means she's closer to becoming Tsuna-san's wife, for the design is the same as that on his ring. Kumiko turns it, watching it glint in the light, and thinks of the box that Older Hibari gives her. It's lying in one of her drawers, untouched yet brought along anyway.

The guardians disperse, all going back to their rooms. Haru suddenly grabs Kumiko and Kyoko's hands. "Let's go somewhere fun!" Kyoko nodded readily. Kumiko finished pinning the badge to her shirt, and then also agreed. The three girls set off together to explore this unfamiliar terrain, owned by the Mafia that they do not know of.

"Ciaossu."

"Reborn, are you seeing this?"

Reborn frowned. He did not know what he was supposed to be seeing, and it irked him. He replied monotonously, berating his previous idiot student for not elaborating. Dino merely sighed and Reborn's lips dragged further downwards as he realized that even the usually jovial Bucking Bronco was serious for once. "Spit it out, Dino."

"Do you have access to the Internet or even the news station right now?"

"No. Just tell me."

Dino let out another sigh. "Please don't let Kyoya know about this. I think you need to see it though. I can't even describe..."

Reborn shut off the phone immediately. If his student couldn't provide the information that he wanted, then he needed to confront the source right away. Reborn hopped nimbly through the nearest open window, finding himself in the lobby of the hotel. He glanced around, and then the commentary from the nearby television hanging off the wall caught his attention. For one, the commentary was a mixture of frantic Italian, but the background noise clearly consists of Japanese. He studied the blurry and shaking images on the wall. Apparently, the footage was filmed by a passerby, a witness to the 'horrific event that has just occurred in Namimori, a small town in the middle of Japan'.

Reborn pursed his lips together and jumped onto the nearest desk, uncaring of the way his actions scattered a bunch of papers that have previously been meticulously organized. He had to get closer to the screen, to see exactly what was going on. Reborn wasn't sure that he believed his eyes.

"...ent reports have shown that there has actually been a _bomb _planted underneath the middle school itself. An anonymous tip off has set the police working on the case, but apparently the bomb was not situated underneath the school at all. According to the bomb experts that have been examining the wreckage for the past hour, the bomb was hidden in a pipeline close to the staff bathroom, a place that will not be frequented by most students. The culprit of this horrific bombing is unknown. Police investigator Hakayashi Moriuka speaks on this issue..."

Reborn frowned at the grainy image. Great clouds of grey smoke obscured the image from being projected clearly, but Reborn's sharp eyes could make out the images even through the thick obstructions. There was Namimori Middle, a huge hole blown through the middle of it. Not one block of the school had been spared. The walls were crumbling, charred and nothing more than pieces of debris. And in the front courtyard of the school lay the bodies of the Vongola bomb expert team. To Reborn's disgust, they had been arranged into neat letters to form the Italian word.

_"WARNING."_

_A warning for what? _It was repulsive, and yet the investigators did not know how it was done. The person to have arranged the bodies must have either died while doing so, due to burns or inhalation or from the initial blast. Some even speculate that the killer is an alien or that he or she is fireproof. Fireproof material wouldn't have lasted the initial explosion, as they are created for combating fires in relatively controlled environments and not built for sudden explosions. As it is, it couldn't have been a human. It's a wonder that the bodies weren't blasted apart already, the lead police investigator proclaimed. As it is, the investigator had no leads whatsoever, because the bodies are too charred to be recognized. Reborn's lips are pressed into a tight line. He is utterly furious. For someone to have gone so far to utter a challenge to the Vongola in such a sleazy manner...

He picked up the phone once more. "Dino."

"Reborn..." Dino's voice was shaky. "What of it, Reborn?"

"I need to get to Namimori. Use your sources and tell them not to move the bodies at all costs. I want the scene exactly as I see it on the television right now. Get me a plane. I'll be arriving in a few hours."

"Are you going to tell Kyoya?"

Reborn thought for a minute.

"No."

_He has to focus on his training for now. This means no interruptions, not even in the event that his school has been literally blown to smithereens._

* * *

><p>"Hahi! Let's go into that cute little cake shop over there! Look at that Kyoko-chan! They have chocolate ice cream cake!" Haru trotted ahead of the two of them, giggling and squealing like the excited schoolgirl she is. Kumiko giggles along, secretly thinking that the dark haired girl in front of her squeaks in a manner not unlike that of a chipmunk. Kyoko was calmer, much to her surprise. The orange haired girl strolled leisurely along the street, glancing curiously from side to side at times. The street was lined with shops of every kind. Kumiko had already walked into a bookstore, a pet shop, a store selling all sorts of strange chemicals. She wonders what everyone does with the things they buy here. Even the pets consisted of snarling dogs that looked much too frightening for her to touch, even though she usually loved animals of all shapes and sizes. There were also wolves, and to her disbelief, a great white shark circling in a tank.<p>

"Kumiko-chan? Are you coming or not?"

The giggling duo were already halfway through the door into the shop, and all this time Kumiko had been trailing outside the shop, pondering the curious workings of this island. She jogs to them and they hold the door for her, but before she can cross the threshold, someone grabs her arm and pulls her back out of the store. Kumiko lets out a girlish scream as she topples backwards into someone's arms.

* * *

><p><em>Hibari tosses his suit jacket on the back of the kitchen chair and waits for her to come running. He had not seen her for a week. He was holding a box of chocolates behind his back.<em>

_When she did not appear, Hibari frowned. He set the chocolate down on the table, no longer caring for the surprise element that was sure to pull a happy squeal from her later. He padded quietly around the dining room, not seeing her small form anywhere. At this time, his anxiety was starting to mount. What if something had happened to her? Mukuro himself had said that due to the fact that she had been bitten by the 'Blood Demon', she might become a little strange. Hibari hadn't cared at the moment, but right now he was getting worried and annoyed at her lack of presence. _

_He wandered deeper into the house, opening and closing doors. Finally, he reached the master bedroom that he shared with her. He opened the door quietly, almost dreading what would lie beyond the plane of wood. _

_"Herbi-"_

_She was in the room, sprawled out on their shared bed. He hurried over to her side and smiled softly when he saw the book in her hand. It was an uncharacteristic smile, one that only she could bring out of him. She was breathing deeply, evenly. Her eyes fluttered slightly, almost as if sensing he was there. _

_"Herbivore, you're awake. Stop pretending."  
><em>  
><em>She buried her face in the pillow as a blush crept up to her cheeks. Hibari's smirk widened as he kneeled onto the mattress as well, pressing his face closer to hers and literally breathing down her neck. He blows softly and she giggles, feeling the air rush over her skin. <em>

_Hibari hugs her closer and pushes his face into the crook of her neck, inciting more giggles from the brown haired woman. Even though she was already 25, and he was 26, they were both as childishly romantic as if they had just met yesterday. Hibari thought that her innocence had a certain pull to it, almost making him want to play these childish games with her. _

_"What were you doing?" He murmured into her hair. She smelt of chocolate, as always. Caught red handed. _

_"How many did you eat?" She squirmed uncomfortably and tried to get away from him, but he pressed a hand on her waist firmly. His fingers crept towards her stomach. "How many chocolates did you eat this time, herbivore?"_

_"I a...ahah! I...only...Hey! That tickles!" Hibari's tongue flicked out, tasting her skin. His fingers danced over her stomach playfully as she gasped and twisted under his touch. "Stop it! It's tick-" She starts laughing uncontrollably as Hibari decides to poke her in the side. Hibari smiles once more as she gasps for him to have mercy on her. He decides to stop only when she's short of oxygen, her face red and her mouth gaping. _

_"You..." He drags her upright before she could finish her sentence. Their lips met. Again, it was the same rush. The same heated passion that drove them to twine their tongues together and meet in that brief spark of a moment that always lit up Hibari's day. He was pressing her down onto the soft sheets, his lips caressing hers gently. She was responding, in a much fiercer manner then what he would've imagined. She missed him too. His hands pulled her hair sharply and his lips moved from her mouth to her now exposed neck. She whimpered as he tasted her skin, nibbling a smooth, sensitive and well worn path down her neck. The lovebites from last week's session hadn't faded either. She arched her back and cried out as he bit down on her skin._

_He entwined his fingers with hers, her hand clenching tightly onto his hand. It was then that he realized that she felt so cold. Her skin felt like she had just been taking a cold shower. It could've been only due to the fact that it was winter right now in Namimori, and so the whole atmosphere around the small town was chilly. But somehow, it didn't feel right to Hibari. She had been wrapped up in the blankets, had she not? And she was wearing relatively warm clothes; a sweater and yoga pants. There was no reason for her to feel so cold. _

_He shook the feeling off, lifting her up so that she was sitting upright once more. She hugged him tightly and buried her face into his chest. He trailed one finger down her back and then untangled himself from her embrace to take a shower. She watched him leave without a comment, her arms falling limply to her sides. _

* * *

><p>"Kumiko-chan!" Kyoko stepped forward a bit upon seeing her friend held in a stranger's grasp. Said stranger had his arm looped casually around Kumiko's neck, the other hand holding onto her hand. Kumiko raised her unrestrained arm and elbowed him in the guts, making the man reel backwards. She turned around with an air of panic and fury in her actions. She almost lashed out again, but the man caught her blow in midair. He started babbling in Italian, but soon switched to Japanese upon seeing her oriental features.<p>

"Woah! I'm not your enemy! Sorry about that, it was instinctive. I thought you were someone I knew."

She gave him a critical look and backed away. Said man glanced curiously at her badge. "Say, is that a Vongola badge? You're part of the Vongola?"

Kumiko didn't know what he was talking about. She unpinned the badge and turned it over in her hands nervously. Kyoko took hold of her hand, bowed politely to the stranger and pulled her into the store. Haru 'hahi'ed and started talking about how creepy it must've been. Kumiko's finger brushed over the etched surface of the badge wonderously. What did 'Vongola' mean? Was it some kind of foreign language slang term? What did it mean to be part of the 'Vongola'? She would ask Mukuro today later.

She turned to see the selection of cakes on display and her eyes brightened happily. There was her favorite, a rich dark cream chocolate combo. She ordered in Japanese, and to her delight they understood her. As she was handed a plate of her delicious treat, she couldn't help but turn back to see if the man was still there. He was gone. Kyoko and Haru dragged her over to a window seat and sat her down. They started chattering about mundane things, such as how her relationship with Hibari was going. She grimaced at that, and dipped her head. She wrote that he had broken up with her, and the two girls gasped and immediately tried to console her. She didn't need any of their sympathy though, because she had made a resolve. She wanted to become stronger so that she won't have to depend on anyone. Haru smiled at the determined face Kumiko suddenly pulled, almost as if understanding what was going through her mind.

"Kumiko-chan, let's go walk by the beach later! When all the guardians training sessions are finished, we can all hang out at the beach, ne? I heard that they would finish up at around 5 pm, so there's plenty of time for a beach barbeque!"

That sounded like a really good idea to Kumiko. She nodded vigorously, getting excited all over again about the concept of being on holiday. She repinned the badge onto her shirt and shoveled the rest of the cake into her mouth, stood up and wiped her lips with a napkin. _"Let's go buy some ingredients! We should also go ask Reborn-san." _Haru leapt up too. "HAHI~ That's a great idea! Let's go to the nearest supermarket! Kyoko-chan, what do you think?" The orange haired girl kept her calm composure and merely nodded. The three of them exited the store after paying. Neither of them cared to glance at the television screen in the corner, replaying the scenes of destruction of a school that they all knew well.

* * *

><p><em>They sat side by side, in a comfortable silence. Hibari had his book out and was flicking his eyes across the pages quickly. Kumiko was petting a snow white kitten in her lap, making the small animal stretch and purr deeply. She leaned her head on his shoulder, her hair tickling his neck. Hibari shifted slightly so that he could hold the book with one hand and put his other arm around her. They spent most of their nights like this, simply basking in the other's company and enjoying the fact that the two of them were together.<em>

_Kumiko suddenly turned to him and opened her mouth. It occurred to Hibari that she hadn't said a word to him since his return from his mission earlier this evening. He wondered if there was something wrong with her throat. _

_"I don't feel well, Kyoya."_

_Hibari gazed at her silently for a while. "Go take a warm bath." She nodded and swung her legs off the bed, heading to the bathroom almost in a robotic manner. Hibari felt a sense of foreboding wash over him once again. This was the first time that Kumiko had admitted that she didn't feel well. Normally, she would be stubborn enough not to tell him when she was sick, dragging the sickness out until Hibari finally got impatient and took her to the nearest clinic. This time, it seems, Kumiko had openly admitted her sickness. Something really was wrong, and Hibari knew it had something to do with the bite marks on her neck from the 'Blood Demon'. He stood up and ran a warm bath for her, letting the warm water trickle down through his fingers as he tested the temperature. Once he was sure that it was warm enough, he left the bathroom so as to let Kumiko undress and get in the bath herself. _

* * *

><p>"Where is the akanbou?" Hibari stood at the edge of a cliff, looking down at the crashing waves below him. The wind was blowing inland, keeping him from falling off the slippery edge. This was where he was assigned to be trained, and he had expected to see Reborn waiting for him with that devilish smirk that the arcobaleno always wore. The sun pacifier holder was nowhere to be seen. Instead, Fon was in his place, smiling slightly.<p>

"Reborn had to do something, so he left the island." Hibari felt cheated. He had wanted to fight the infant seriously. Reborn was one of the only people he ever acknowledged in terms of fighting strength.

"Hn."

"Shall we begin the training session?" Hibari let a small bloodthirsty smirk creep onto his face. Maybe this Fon, this martial artist would prove to be just as interesting of an opponent to fight. It would definitely make sense, as Fon was one of Reborn's associates, and he was sure that someone like the strong Reborn would not make friends with a person that he didn't acknowledge. Hibari readied his tonfas, rushing towards Fon. Fon sidestepped neatly and threw a light punch into Hibari's side. "No, we're not training combat for now. We're training something else."

"Fight me."

Fon sighed. It was so like Hibari to ignore everything except for his bloodlust. Hibari swung his tonfas at Fon a few more times, feeling his irritation building as his hits missed spectacularly in the wake of the lithe movements from the experienced arcobaleno. Fon flipped backwards a few times to evade the furious prefect, before tapping him on the forehead. Hibari's death intent increased dramatically. It's almost as if the baby was taunting him.

"I was not assigned as your tutor, Hibari Kyoya. You will not be training with me, though I might spar with you occasionally, as Reborn asked me to do."

"Kufufufu~ Hibari Kyoya, I will be the one instructing you." And of course. It just had to be the pineapple haired illusionist that Hibari just so happened to hate. Well, fighting Mukuro would be okay for him too. It would give him an excuse to kill the man. His anger bubbled to the surface and his heart started pounding harder as his bloodlust rose in accordance with his rage. Hibari wanted to _kill_. He wanted Mukuro's blood on his hands. He wanted to tear his arch enemy apart limb by limb. Because Mukuro stole his pride from him when he had beaten him up in Kokuyo land, and now he had stolen Kumiko away from him. Hibari had nothing now. _It is all Rokudo Mukuro's fault._

"Kufufu~ You don't look well, Younger Hibari Kyoya." It was Mukuro, ten years older. Hibari's rage slowly subsided, to be filled with an inkling of doubt and hesitation. What business did the sly time travelling illusionist have here?

"I'm here to teach you the art of time travel, Skylark."

* * *

><p>AN: Thanks to those who reviewed the previous chapter! **ShizukaRen-Hime, GodsOfDeathLikeApples, starish-sky, mirageseason132, Victoria Alyss Selene, VongolaViv, , Kei-sama18** and** Rotten Heresy and Chocolate!** Sorry, there wasn't much Hibari in this chapter, but there will be in the next chapter!

How are you guys finding the plot so far? Please review!


	28. Power

Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn!  
>Rating: T<p>

* * *

><p>"You'll need the power later. Don't deny it."<p>

The same bitter taste filled his mouth, and Hibari found himself resisting the urge to chuckle. How nostalgic. How disgustingly nostalgic.

Rokudo Mukuro stood over Hibari's broken and battered body. His trident is pointed downwards, an obvious sign of no further violence to come. Hibari's tongue darted out quickly to wet his dry lips as he saw the residue of his own blood trickling slowly down the metal spikes. Defeat was never an easy emotion to swallow, especially for one as strong as Hibari Kyoya. He staggered to his feet once more, pulling his tonfas out, painfully aware of the pain in his sides and the thundering of emotions against his skull.

_How unfortunate. _Hibari could almost hear Mukuro's teasing voice reverberating inside his mind.

He coughs out a glob of congealed blood and wipes the his mouth with the back of his hand, ignoring the spikes of pain that shoots through his nerves, reminding him that his hand is broken. To Hibari's surprise, his painfully slow movements are met with no resistance from Mukuro. Gone is the teasing attitude that he was once faced with. The insult is further rubbed into his face when Mukuro pulls him upright almost gently.

"Hibari Kyoya..." His arch nemesis begins.

"I don't want to hear it." Hibari replies scathingly. He felt like lashing out at the illusionist, but with his current state, it was impossible. He staggers upright and glares at Mukuro as the pineapple haired man offered his hand once more.

"Don't touch me."

Mukuro chuckles softly, a broken series of sighs. It sounded like acceptance to Hibari's ears and served only to further agitate the skylark.

"Alright. Let's call it a day, shall we? Meet me back out here tomorrow morning. The training shall continue, whether you like it or not. This is important, for both you and..." Mukuro trails off, his eyes almost glazing over, his mind undoubtedly reaching for an almost forgotten memory. Hibari gives the vacant man an empty stare and hobbles off before Mukuro has regained his train of thought.

* * *

><p>"Kufufu~ I see what the arcobaleno has done. Clever. There's motivation in this setup." Mukuro finds himself facing Ten Years Older Hibari Kyoya. Hibari stands silent, staring impassively down at the shorter teen.<p>

"I suspect this has something to do with time travel and the seven sins issue?" Mukuro continues, hoping to pull some sort of response from the apathetic Skylark. Hibari nods quietly and Mukuro smirks back, delighted with the response.

"Oya, oya, let's get started then."

The bushes behind them rustle, and the older Hibari is gone in an instant. His younger self had been approaching for some time now and Hibari's senses had been going haywire. He quickly slipped behind a line of trees, watching as Mukuro's expression flickered with the rare confusion. Mukuro let out a chuckle to cover his bemusement and his gaze flickered quickly to Hibari's hiding spot and then to the new intruder.

"Oya, Skylark, I see you've re-acquainted yourself with defeat. I suppose it was by my hand as well?"

Hibari snarled inaudibly and continued forward, ignoring Mukuro's smug smirk. Older Hibari clenched his fist. Seeing that expression on Mukuro's face, especially when it's one of enjoyment at the expense of his own pain. He let out an impatient growl, wanting to give Mukuro a taste of his own medicine.

Younger Hibari's eyes flashed dangerously, straining to locate teh source of the sound. Older Hibari was forced to retreat further, hating the way he had to hide from himself. He froze suddenly, as he caught sight of a familiar flash of brown hair.

* * *

><p><em>Kumiko let herself sink into the warmth of the bath water. The hot liquid lapped at her skin and swirled around her hair. Her stomach rumbled slightly and she flushed automatically. She could hear Hibari's chuckle as he caught the sound of her hunger. She closed her eyes, smiling slightly when the sound of shuffling and footsteps reached her ears. Hibari had gotten up and was moving in the direction of the kitchen, no doubt to try another disastrous attempt at making her some dinner. Luckily for the Skylark, Kumiko had prepared something in the refrigerator and it only needed some heating up. Kyoya will be smart enough to figure out, but it wouldn't hurt to go help him.<em>

_She picked her way out of the warm waters slowly, almost hesitantly. It had been so comfortable, basking in the warmth of the water. She wrapped a towel around herself and slipped into her clothes, her hand reaching out for the doorknob._

_She never quite reached it._

_Her limbs felt heavy all of a sudden. Her eyelids drooping with sudden weariness, Kumiko felt herself toppling backwards. Her head hit the side of the bathtub with a loud crack, and she found herself submerged in water, her eyes open and terrified as she gaze at the fragmented light at the bottom of the tub. She coughed, but she didn't have the energy to lift any of her other muscles. It was as if her body just decided to shut down. It was the same feelings he got when she was frozen with fear, or..._

_Her mouth is open, the water rushing into her lungs uncomfortably. She couldn't scream, couldn't breathe. _

* * *

><p><em>Hibari shoved the plate of pre-cooked, seasoned meat into the microwave, and then stood clueless at the neat rows of buttons that now faced him. He growled, irritated. That was the only thing between him and his dinner.<em>

_A sudden crash from the bathroom brought him out of his silent staring match with the microwave. Hibari lifted his head, truly alarmed for the first time in his life. He abandoned the food and paced quickly down the hallway, pausing slightly once he reached the door. _

_"Kumiko." He called, trying to keep the sound of panic from his voice. There was no answer, save for some quiet splashing. Maybe she had fallen asleep in the bathroom?  
><em>  
><em>He knocked on the door hard. Still no answer. He frowned at the lack of response and decided to kick the door down. Better make sure that she is okay then worry about facing the wrath of the small statured woman later. He slammed his foot into the door once, twice, feeling the lock slowly give way and the wood splinter. The splashing sounds became quieter, and that's when Hibari really started to panic. There's no way she wouldn't wake up with the amount of noise he's making. <em>

_"Herbivore, answer me." _

_The door finally lost to Hibari's strikes. He walks in quickly, eyes darting to her limp figure. A trail of blood slowly trickled down the side of the bathtub, the red jarringly bright against the white. Her head is underwater. Hibari inhaled sharply and quickly pulled her out. Water splashed out of her mouth, but Hibari noted the absence of the familiar up and down of her chest. She isn't breathing._

_He presses his mouth to hers instantly, blowing air into her lungs slowly. He presses his hands on her chest and pumps once, twice, willing the water to come out of her lungs. She lays limp on the tiled floor, and Hibari growls, agitated. He repeats his actions and is rewarded with spluttering as she coughs to expel the water from her lungs. Her eyes remain closed, and Hibari realizes that she's still unconscious. _

* * *

><p>"Oya, dearest Kumiko, what are you doing here?"<p>

Kumiko bows at Mukuro, but her eyes are on Hibari, taking in his injuries slowly. Her hands clench as Hibari turns away from her quickly, making it seem as if he wants to go in the opposite direction to the one he had currently been travelling in. Kumiko's eyes follow him, until Mukuro gently grasps her arm.

"It's part of the training."

_It's not life threatening. It's not life threatening? Hibari-san looks half dead!_

"If you approach him, you will be destroying his pride." Mukuro reasons. Kumiko's gaze is cast downwards. She understands the reasoning behind Mukuro's words, but that doesn't mean she can just let him...let him stay like that...

Without really thinking, she reaches out and tugs on Hibari's shirt, just like she used to when she was more familiar with him. Hibari jerks out of her grasp and continues on without looking back. Kumiko reaches forward a bit more, her fingertips just brushing his injured arm. He stiffens and lets out a soft growl. She lets out a small, desperate gasp. Her mouth forms his name, but she can't get her voice box to work properly. She frowns, frustrated, opens her mouth and tries again.

"Hibari!"

_Thank you, Mukuro._

Hibari stops in his tracks. He looks back, and Kumiko takes a step back at the fuming anger in his eyes. Mukuro steps in front of her.

"Oya, Skylark. She meant no harm." Mukuro looks behind him sternly. Kumiko bobs her head slowly, knowing that she had gone against Mukuro's warnings and had brought this upon herself. But it hurt her to know that Hibari still hated her so much, enough to make him look at her like she was something disgusting on the bottom of his shoe. Her frustration built, the feeling wrapping around her neck and grasping at her throat.

"You never listened to me in the first place!" Kumiko cries, the sentence slipping out without warning. As if she had meant to say this, as if she had been holding this back from the world. Now that she had a voice, she might as well speak her thoughts.

Mukuro silently watches as Kumiko stomps forward to meet Hibari's anger. While Hibari's anger was ferocious and untamed, Kumiko's one matched his in intensity, though it was laced with worry and frustration and pent up feelings. Hibari felt himself unconsciously taking a step forward to meet her gaze steadily. He felt the need to hold his ground, and if he wasn't so upset about the turn of things, he would've smirked with bloodthirsty delight as he witnessed the long awaited transformation from herbivore to carnivore.

"You hurt me." She whispered. Hibari was right in front of her now, and if she just leaned forward, she would fall into his chest. She closed her eyes, imagined his arms around her. "You hurt me." She repeated, refusing to let the tears run down her cheeks at the weighty emotion that came with her declaration. This was it. If Hibari didn't understand her now, he would never understand her.

Hibari regards the girl in front of him. His hand clenches and unclenches, reminding him of the wounds that he should take care of shortly if he wanted to even think about a rematch with the sly bastard Mukuro tomorrow. Yet he couldn't bring himself to move from this spot. It was painful to watch her just in front of him, so close yet so far. He wanted to bring his hand up and stroke her cheek, just as he had done so many times before.

"I know." He replies, and Kumiko's eyes snap open. The finality in his words rang true. He knew that he had hurt her and yet...

She froze at the feeling of Hibari's fingers stroking her cheek. So familiar. Faintly, she heard Mukuro inhale sharply behind her, but Hibari's touch was gone in an instant, and so was the small, confident smirk on his face.

* * *

><p>Mukuro weaved his fingers into hers tightly, firmly. He pressed down, closer, his breath mingling with hers. Kumiko couldn't resist when his tongue slipped into her mouth to stroke her tongue gently. She was shocked by the ferocity of his actions, his possessiveness finally coming out for show. This was her punishment.<p>

"Mukuro.." She whimpered as he placed one hand on her thigh. This was going beyond what she deemed comfortable and she found herself wishing for the lighthearted, chuckling Mukuro. "Mukuro.." She tried again, gasping for air as the indigo haired teen pulled back, looking slightly confused.

Mukuro's eyes locked onto hers. To his relief, he couldn't detect any fear, but the wariness was back again. A scowl slipped onto his face. After all this effort to get her to warm up to him. Was it all going to waste now?

Kumiko must've misinterpreted his scowl to mean that he was angry at her. She sat up slowly, wrapping one arm around Mukuro's neck to bring herself closer to him. Sand dusted her back, the gritty texture dotting along her arms. She felt quite sore from where Mukuro had pushed her onto the ground roughly in order to kiss her deeply. Mukuro gently brushed the sand off her arm and Kumiko gave him a shaky smile, which he returned smoothly. All was not lost yet.

"Sorry about that. I got a bit...carried away."

Kumiko shook her head and got up, dusting herself off and smiling dazedly when the fine powder settled in Mukuro's hair instead. The illusionist mirrored her action, running his hands through his own hair to get rid of the gritty substance. He looked dazed as well, so Kumiko offered him an arm and pulled him upright...only to have him push her against a palm tree.

"Shall we try that again?"

She blushed, but before she gave her answer, Mukuro was already nibbling on her neck. She let out a soft moan and blushed at the provocative feeling that came with the noise. Mukuro pulled back once more and regarded her with interest, amusement veiled in his mismatched eyes. Kumiko looked away, flushing a furious red. She refused to meet his gaze, until he pulled her over to a hammock strung between the two palm trees. Kumiko shook her head. She was sure that the hammock had most certainly not existed before.

Mukuro picked her up and tossed her onto the hammock. She let out a peal of laughter as she bounced against the stringy material, her arms quickly getting tangled as she tried to claw her way upright. Mukuro quickly clambered into the hammock himself and pulled her to him, leaning his head on her shoulder. She stilled, listening to his breathing by her ear.

Mukuro yawns.

"Let's take a break here, shall we?"

She wriggles out of his grasp. "I'm not tired, Mukuro."

Mukuro lets her go willingly, smiling slightly as she makes her way across his stomach to trip back onto the sand. He kisses her arm teasingly, making her squeal and pull away, embarrassed again.

"Go have fun." He instructed her between great yawns. It was quite tiring to hold up the illusion for her voice box on top of making sure that Chrome is still alive, after all. She nodded and scampered away to go frolick in the sand or whatever it is that people do at the beach.

Mukuro turns over and settles down for a well deserved nap. He enhances his hearing so that he can focus on her movements, chuckling when he realized that the clumsy girl had just tripped over in the hot sand and was currently struggling to get out of the small ditch that she had just fallen into.

"Rokudo Mukuro."

Mukuro cracked open an eye, plastering a smile onto his face. He was disgruntled that Hibari, of all people, has decided to interrupt his nap.

"Oya, oya, so rare of you to come seeking my advice, skylark. What is it that you need again?"

Stifling the urge to yawn again, Mukuro shifts his position so that he is lying with arms tucked under his head. Hibari glares down at the illusionist from his perch in a neighboring tree, a book held in his hand. Mukuro would've laughed at the sight if it weren't for the fact that he was feeling drowsy. Hibari looked like some stern monk holding his scriptures with the way he was staring disdainfully down at Mukuro's current position. Mukuro waves his arm lazily. "Shoot."

"You cannot have her forever."

Mukuro stiffens. So this is where they are going with this spontaneous meeting.

"What, Skylark, you want to claim her back again? I'm sorry to inform you, but you blew it the last time you hurt her. Do you not realize how scared she is of you?"

Hibari growls. "I am aware."

Mukuro sits up, his glare directed at Hibari in earnest this time. "Then how do you even have the _nerve _to think about trying to woo her again? After you hurt her so badly, I thought you would be smart enough to stay away from her."

Hibari scowls. He knows that he did something unforgivable, but then again, Kumiko had created too many misunderstandings for him to let her get away with it. Mukuro too. He swears the illusionist was just taunting him, what with staging his makeout sessions right in plain view, marking her as his when Hibari was in sight. It was just a series of blows to his pride. Mukuro probably didn't even really love her. He was probably just using her to irk him. It was disgustingly low of Mukuro to do something like this, but Hibari wouldn't put it past the sly illusionist.

"Kufufufu~" Hibari glances up. Positioned in the tree behind Mukuro was the older version of the pineapple haired man. Hibari gives Older Mukuro a look of anger and both Mukuros chuckle.

"I rightfully won her heart, Hibari Kyoya. You have abused her trust and thus she decided to give me another chance. Is that not the situation, younger me?"

"Oya, I would turn around and greet you properly, older me, but that would cause the world to explode and we wouldn't want that, would we?"

"Kufufu~ Smart, as always. So, tell me, how are your studies?"

"You mean with the older version of the childish teen currently glaring daggers at me?"

"Who else?"

"Kufufu~ He turned tail and ran away when his younger self appeared at the sight of our fight."

Hibari flicked his gaze between the two versions of the same person, growing increasingly irritated as they held their conversation in the roundabout way of theirs, badmouthing him and laughing as if it was a private joke they shared. There it was again, that mockery that they liked to make out of him. The way they drew amusement at the expense of his pain. If Hibari didn't currently have his arm in a cast, he would've beat the two of them senseless right now.

"Keep your anger in check."

The weight on his head could only be his older self holding his head down with one hand. Usually, he wouldn't permit such an action, but he supposed that because it was himself, it could be excused. Older Hibari smirked as his younger self stiffened, but he didn't move to take his hand off younger Hibari's head. A tense silence ensued.

"Ku-" Mukuro starts, only to be broken off by the sound of rustling in the trees. Both Hibaris stared up into the leaves, their identical eyes narrowing in distaste for whatever they can see there. Mukuro followed suit, smirking when he found the outline of the dark-haired girl with the sniper rifle.

"Oya, oya. Silent Slayer, again? You've caused enough havoc in our lives. What are you doing here?"

Komatsu tossed her hair and smirked down at the two people. "Killing." She answered.

Mukuro felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise in anticipation. "Killing what?" He asked.

"You'll find out sooner or later."

And then Mukuro was off his hammock and tearing through the trees, searching for the plain white sand that made up most of the beach. He prayed that the bullet hadn't found it's mark yet. Briefly, he heard another pair of feet following him and he wondered if the Skylark had come along.

"Kumiko!" He yelled, sounding nervous for once in his life. A few paces away, the brown haired girl raised her head from where she had been trying to catch a crab. She waved hello to Mukuro, albiet a bit shyly, and Mukuro exhaled slowly in relief. He strode forward and grabbed her hand. "Kumiko, we're leaving." She shook her head, oblivious to Mukuro's unusually jittery movements. She tugged her hand out of his grasp and pointed to the grill that Yamamoto was helping to set up. "We're going to have a beach barbecue, remember?" She mumbled breathlessly, still trying to get used to the feeling of actually telling someone something. Mukuro smiled weakly.

"You have to get off the beach now."

She gave him another confused glance, and Mukuro winked at her. "I'll take you to dinner."

"I'm coming." Hibari cut in, and Mukuro immediately scowled.

"Skylark, I appreciate that you would like to accompany us on our _romantic outing, _but I hardly think it's necessary..."

Older Hibari glared back down at Mukuro. Mukuro gazed back calmly, seemingly unfazed with the piercing look. Hibari pulled out his tonfas and let his irritation flow. His tonfa burst into purple flames and Mukuro took a step back. This was no laughing matter. If Hibari really insisted...

Kumiko tugged on his arm. "I think it's okay." She stated, blinking when Mukuro gave her a weird look. "I think...I mean..." Mukuro sighed and nodded. He stepped towards Hibari as soon as the man tucked his extinguished tonfa back into his sleeve.

"This is only for her protection, you hear me?" Mukuro snarled under his breath, before turning on his heel and stalking away. Kumiko cast Older Hibari a worried glance and then quickly ran after her fuming boyfriend.

* * *

><p><em>When they finally reached the hospital, it was already too late.<em>

_She had died, in his arms. On his watch. Right in front of him. And he could've done nothing to save her._

* * *

><p>AN: The past is slowly being revealed! Thank you all so much for supporting me and sticking with my story for all this time! I believe this thing's been posted for 6 months already... I've just started my summer holiday, so I'll be able to write more, but I regret to inform you that this story is coming to a closure. I suppose it's time we end their adventures, ne? I'll put up a poll soon so that you can vote on who you want Kumiko to end up with, though I suspect it'll be close! In the meantime, thank you to all those who reviewed my work! I'm terribly sorry for the unexpected hiatus, but end of year assessments are always chaotic.

So. As always, please review!


	29. Without Control

_He hated it. The smell of blood. The smell of death. The cold, metallic tang mixed with the sickly sweet, permeating the air and staining it, decaying it. _

_Hibari sat outside the morgue. As much as he hated the smell of death, he refused to leave his post. Personnel have come and gone. A few doctors had looked at him worriedly but had decided to leave him alone once he gave them a furious glare that meant nothing but trouble. _

_Ever since Kumiko had entered his life, there had been many firsts with Hibari. His first time loving someone so unconditionally. The first time he had actually tried to hold a normal conversation with another human being, without having to say his infamous catchphrase or pulling out his tonfas. He supposed the only other person he had achieved with that was Sawada Tsunayoshi, the current Vongola Boss, but that was only because the herbivore had rightly yearned his respect. Kumiko was also the first person to have ever understood the rage that dwelled deep in his heart, understand the fact that the person Hibari was most scared of was not Rokudo Mukuro or even the feeling of failure, but himself. And she had accepted him._

_And this was yet another first. This was the first time Hibari prayed for a miracle. For something, anything. He just wanted her back in his arms. _

* * *

><p><em>This is awkward.<em>

She didn't say it out loud, even though her voice box was just itching to be used. One look at ten years older Hibari's cold expression was enough to shut her up for good. Mukuro had been squeezed next to her, and though the illusionist had been wanting to sit across from her and was currently resenting the skylark for taking his place, he couldn't help but marvel at the warmth that Kumiko was emitting. He wanted to draw her closer and press his lips against her neck, suck up the warmth, taste it...

"Mukuro...san?" Kumiko was looking at him again. Mukuro started slightly as he realized that he had been running his hand up and down her thigh, and the girl had been becoming increasingly nervous and embarrassed with his actions.

"I was just trying to find your ticklish spot. See?" He reasoned as he flicked her hip suddenly and she erupted into giggles.

Hibari's death intent increased tenfold, and Kumiko decided that it was time to stop acting foolish.

"Waitress~" Mukuro sang, almost leaping out of his chair with a flourishing wave of his hand. Hibari looked like he wanted to tonfa Mukuro. Kumiko swore that she could see a tick mark above his right eyebrow. She gave him another frightened glance and shuffled closer to Mukuro. Mukuro smirked at that and wrapped one arm securely around her waist before calling for the waitress again.

A tall, beautiful young woman walked over. She gave Mukuro an impatient scowl, but that was immediately wiped off when she caught sight of Hibari. To Mukuro's amusement, she gave Hibari a one over and placed one hand suggestively on her hip when Hibari seemed to show no interest in the woman who was currently checking him out.

"You know, skylark, if you don't wipe that grimace off your face, then you'll never be able to pick up girls." Mukuro suggested happily, much to the skylark's chagrin. Hibari growled and was about to stand up and slam his weapon into Mukuro's face if it weren't for the fact that the waitress immediately shoved the menu in front of him.

"What would you like to order, sir?" She played with her wavy black hair and winked at him. Hibari muttered about herbivores under his breath while he picked up the menu once more. He wasn't hungry at all. He was here just to ensure that Kumiko wasn't about to get assassinated, and also to make sure that Mukuro wasn't going to try anything funny. What with the way he was fingering her thigh, Hibari wasn't sure he wanted to give Mukuro a chance anymore. He knew his younger self had messed up, but nobody could be as messed up as Mukuro, could they? For all he knew, Mukuro could be waiting for the two of them to be alone, and then he would ravish her. He would ravish her and Hibari would not be there to make sure h-

"Sir?" He looked up.

"Steak hamburger, medium rare, with a cup of coconut juice." He murmured.

"I'll have a lasagne with tropical fruit punch! What about you, Kumiko?" Mukuro announced loudly.

"R...Ravioli..." She stuttered. The waitress gave her an impatient look.

"Drink?" The dark haired woman asked. Hibari immediately glared at her. What with the disrespectful tone she was using with Kumiko, Hibari was ready to get up and tonfa her into oblivion. While he was glaring at her, a feeling of dense unease washed over him. He gripped his tonfas securely and resisted the urge to stand up and fight. Something was really wrong with this woman, and it wasn't just in the way she was smirking at Kumiko's weak attempts at speaking.

Something familiar.

_Long, dark hair?  
><em>  
>"O...orange j..juice!" Kumiko gasped out, smiling proudly when the waitress took down her order with a look of exasperation. Mukuro planted a kiss on her cheek which she wiggled out of, because it was too awkward to be interacting romantically in front of the ten years older self of her ex-boyfriend. What if they were married in the future? Would this count as her cheating on him?<p>

As the waitress left to put their orders in, Hibari leant back in his seat and tried to ignore the presence of a certain annoying pineapple head in front of him. Mukuro kept giving him a superior smirk and nodding knowingly towards where his arm was hooked firmly around Kumiko. Cocky bastard.

And suddenly, the smirk was wiped off his lips. For a bizarre second, Hibari had almost suspected that Mukuro had heard what he had said and was about to retaliate. But that wasn't the case, Hibari found out almost immediately, as he realized that the illusionist was concentrating on something. Sure enough, the cold feeling of mist flames began to permeate the air. Hibari almost unconsciously let his cloud flames flow a bit to combat the invasion of cold, indigo flames, but Mukuro gave him an uneasy stare, expressing that he was not targeting Hibari. Hibari pulled his death intent back reluctantly, still not trusting Mukuro. Mukuro tilted his head ever so slightly to the side, closing his eyes and listening intently.

There was something familiar about the sound of the footsteps. The waitress?

"Mukuro-sa-" Hibari motioned for her to be quiet, he himself intently observing the illlusionist's actions.

Slowly, he let a little bit of his own mist flames leak into the air as well. What exactly was he looking for? He didn't usually use his mist flames. Mist flames had a dirty feeling to him, as they represented conquest through trickery. Hibari preferred the heads on fighting rather than underhanded tricks that the mist flames represent. Nonetheless, he was glad that he had at least familiarized himself with the feeling of using these flames, knowing that he would most likely use them in the future.

"The waitress." Mukuro suddenly hissed, making Kumiko jump in her seat.

"Oya, sorry about that. What I meant was, I ne-"

"I'm going to the bathroom." Hibari cut in smoothly, completely ignoring the grateful look that Mukuro shot him. Just when had their relationship from arch rivals become to one of covering each other's backs? He refused to acknowledge the transformation in relationship. There is no way Mukuro and him could ever come to a common understanding.

Except when it involved the oblivious brown haired girl right in front of him.

* * *

><p><em>They informed him that they would be moving the corpse away to the burial grounds. Someone had mentioned that she would probably like a proper burial, but Hibari had been unwilling to let her go just like that. He had stayed outside the morgue, neither eating nor drinking, leaving only to go to the bathroom. To his surprise, Mukuro was the one who had come and tried to talk some sense into him, mentioning that he was just ruining himself if he kept it up like this, mentioning that he was just hurting her even more.<em>

_To that, Hibari had snapped. He had yelled, for the first time in his life. Another first, he noted cynically._

_"What would you know about what she wants? She died! She died right in my arms!" _

_"Shut up." Mukuro had growled. Hibari had stilled after his outburst, stilled out of shock. His mind reeling, he had sat back down as Mukuro continued to jab at him, mentioning how he was so sickly thin that he looked like a corpse himself, that his hair was greasy and unkempt now and his cheeks were sunken and that he looked disgusting..._

_And it was then that the door to the morgue creaked silently open. A doctor stood there, eyes wide with shock, as a small figure wrapped in an overly large doctor's coat slipped out from beside him and ran towards the one man she loved truly and unconditionally in her whole life. _

_"Kyoya!" _

_She's back. She's back and in front of him. And the first thing Hibari remembered was hearing her heart, beating steadily._

_She came back._

* * *

><p>"I knew you would come, my fellow time traveller. You finally figured out who I am, right?" The dark haired waitress smiled coyly at the apathetic, towering male in front of her. Hibari leaned closer, his whole body shaking with anger. How dare she?<p>

"I'm better now, you know? I'm a lot better."

And then she was right in front of him and he was against the wall, and before Hibari even had time to think, ten years older Komatsu was pressing her lips against his in a passionate kiss. She broke off from him and gave him another feral, seductive grin. "Did you like that? Do you miss her that much? You know, it might be better for you if you find a replacement..."

Without another word, Hibari had snapped his tonfas out and was charging at her. The sick feeling of her flesh on his had lingered longer than he would've liked, and the only way to erase it was to make sure he got well acquainted with the feeling of his tonfas crushing her bones. The brief aftertaste of an unnamed chemical stuck onto his tongue, and he growled with anger. Komatsu had fed him something... something to make him...

"Oh, you won't be able to touch me. Not in your current state, of course."

The world began spinning before him. But Hibari was not known as the demon for nothing. She thought he would let his guard down due to confusion and pain. A fiery numbness was spreading from his chest now, gripping his muscles and locking them together. His jaw clenched painfully and the taste of blood soon joined that of the bitter chemical. He should've been more careful. And even though he was at such a disadvantage, Hibari managed to thrust his arm forward and catch Komatsu square in the eye. The sound of his enemy howling with pain was enough to bring a proud smirk to his face. Glass shattered as Komatsu hit the counter, her hands clawing into the dishes and utensils. With an angry curse, she leaped at Hibari and wrenched the tonfa away from him.

He slumped against her unwillingly. The world was spinning too fast and his vision was starting to get hazy. He felt her hand against the nape of his neck, and then...

_It was Kumiko. She was smiling at him, sadly, slowly. He leaned towards her. He wanted to wipe that sad look of her face, wanted her to smile. _

_"Kumiko, why?" He asked, pulling her closer against his chest. _

_Her hand came up to the nape of his neck, smoothing his skin. His hands came up to hold her hand, his fingers linking with hers slowly. She leaned towards him and sighed._

_"Kill me, Kyoya."_

* * *

><p>Hibari of the current time rubbed his forehead, thoroughly irritated. He got migraines often from being around loud or crowding herbivores, but right now he was back in his own hotel room, alone. His head was throbbing painfully. He kept on giving suspicious glances towards his cast. What if Mukuro planted something in his broken arm while he wasn't aware of it? Scenes of his fight with the older illusionist flickered through his mind like cut tapes from a broken video recorder. He could only remember brief flashes. The rest had been lost to his surging anger.<p>

With a grumble, he lay down on his bed and pulled the sheets up to his chest. Crossing his arms over, he tried to get some sleep. But images kept on bothering him. Fragments of tonfas swinging, tridents crossing...a flash of long dark hair.

_Komatsu._

His eyes snapped open immediately. _Kumiko?_

_Where is she right now?_

Getting up, he padded quietly over to the window. Drawing the curtains, he looked at over to the room opposite. It was Kumiko and Mukuro's room.

No movement. Nothing was wrong. Didn't Mukuro take Kumiko out to dinner? He cursed his own paranoia and stood there for a while, pressing his forehead to the coolness of the glass. It provided temporary, sweet relief to his pain. And unwillingly, he was reminded of the first time Kumiko had met him properly, face to face, without him shoving her against the wall or her running away from him and trying not to get caught in his tonfas. On the rooftop, when she had written him a letter explaining everything, when she had given him the ointment. Back then, he had yearned for her fingertips to soothe the burning bruise on the side of her face. Was it then when it started, this herbivorous emotion deep in his chest? Was it then when he finally gave in to the need to love?

Something shifted and he immediately locked his eyes on the room opposite. Mukuro had left his television screen on, and the television was now broadcasting breaking news about a bomb attack in some small town.

Hibari was in no way fluent in Italian, but he had taken the time to read up on some common phrases before he started towards Mafia Land. He figured he would at least have to be able to order food or tell others that he was going to bite them to death. And yet, those Italian phrases were spelling out a word that he didn't want to believe was currently glowing on the screen.

"Namimori Middle school, one of the only schools in an isolated, peaceful little down just o-"

His headache forgotten, he quickly switched on his own set, flicking to the right channel. He scowled when the commentary and the subtitles were both in Italian, and had to waste some time finding the right button to turn the commentary into Japanese. When the torrent of words started flooding out into the room, however, he couldn't help but wish he couldn't understand it.

_"School...bombed...death toll..."_

His beloved Namimori.

In his shock, he had completely missed seeing masked men move into Mukuro's room and rifle through the drawers and suitcases in the room. Clothes strewn all over the floor, paper ripped. Kumiko's beloved sketchpad was taken out and torn apart as the men got increasingly frustrated with not finding that something they were looking for.

He turned just in time to feel the bullet striking him. They had set up a sniping station and had decided to take out the Cloud guardian first.

* * *

><p>A sharp twinge in his arm pushed him out of his dazed state. Ten years older Hibari was lying on the floor of some diner's kitchen, a dark haired woman straddling his chest. To his annoyance, he found that his hands had been handcuffed together and his legs tied firmly with chains.<p>

"Awake, dear Kyoya? How are you feeling? Head hurting? Unfortunately, that's a little side effect with this drug." She held up a bottle of pills proudly, smirking when Hibari couldn't find the strength to form words with his mouth.

"How about another dosage?" She murmured. "I have the antidote, so don't worry about me." She smiled as she leaned towards him and kissed him again. Hibari struggled, pressing his lips together tightly and refusing to let her slip the drug in. She grew frustrated and reached up to pinch his nose, but even with the lack of oxygen he refused to open his mouth.

"...Cloud-man?" A soft, surprised voice penetrated his mind.

_Chrome Dokuro._He could only hope that the girl was smart enough to save a fellow guardian. He was sorely disappointed when she stepped forward, right onto his leg. A sharp spike of pain shoot through his body as he heard the bone snap. What the hell was Chrome Dokuro doing? Still, he kept his mouth firmly shut. But the lack of oxygen was already getting to him. What was he doing really? Isn't this just counterproductive? If he died, then wouldn't Kumiko get hurt anyway? How could he protect her if he died?

_But I failed. I already got my chance and I failed. She's already gone._

Chrome stepped onto his other leg and applied force. With another snap, his other leg was rendered useless. And this time, his mouth opened to let out a soft grunt of pain. Komatsu wasted no time in shoving the pill into his mouth, her disgusting tongue licking over his softly, teasingly. This kiss was in no way like the ones he shared with Kumiko, the soft, sweet embraces that he had received so many times from the brown haired woman. A wave of sweet perfume washed over him as Chrome leaned forward. He recognized her though her hair was let down and she was considerably taller than she was at this current time. This must be ten years later Chrome Dokuro. He had found the other two time travellers. Chrome Dokuro and Komatsu. And they were working together.

The last thing he remembered was the feeling of Chrome's arms wrapping around him and her face being pushed into his collarbone, a crude mockery of the romance he displayed with Kumiko. She kept murmuring that everything would end soon, and all Hibari could think about was that he failed to protect her again.

* * *

><p>Mukuro stood up abruptly. Their food hadn't come yet, and the restaurant was in a dazed, peaceful state. Hibari hadn't returned from his 'bathroom' trip yet, and even Mukuro was starting to suspect that something was wrong. The skylark always did things with efficiency. If he didn't return yet, then that would mean that either he had a change of personality and started enjoying torturing his victims, or something was wrong.<p>

"Stay here, Kumiko. I'm going to go check on our food. I'm hungry, kufufu~ What's taking them so long?" Mukuro leapt upwards and gave her a reassuring smile which she returned. His smile softened when she instinctively reached towards him even though he was already walking out of his reach.

"Skylark-kun~" Mukuro mumbled softly. He didn't bother going into the bathroom. He knew Hibari was smarter than that and would've gone straight to where the waitresses were. And that was the kitchen, wasn't it?

"Mukuro-sama..."

"Oya? Fancy meeting you here, my dearest Nagi. How have you been?" Mukuro took in Chrome's appearance. "How is life ten years from now, Chrome Dokuro?"

Without warning, the two tridents clashed. Chrome smiled, her smile eerily sinister on such a pale and docile face. Mukuro wasn't fooled however. "You said they had gotten rid of it, and you said that you had willingly let them get rid of your little problem. You still remember what we discussed just last night? Or rather, ten years and a night ago for you?" Chrome smiled.

"Of course, Mukuro-sama. But I like it. Hibari-san was promised to me, remember?"

Psychotic women and their idea of romance. Mukuro was not impressed at all. He was glad that Chrome was doing so well and remembering her training, but he never expected her to turn on him and he never wanted her to give in to the darkness within her. Hibari had managed to contain it. Rokudo Mukuro himself had struggled and fought and won against the lustful feelings that he felt towards her. For Chrome Dokuro, he would've thought that the girl valued her relationship with the Famiglia to even think about succumbing to the whispers of power and romance. But it seems Chrome's feelings for Hibari Kyoya ran deeper than he ever imagined. There was no way she would be acting like this otherwise. She was putting her relationship with the family, her friends, even with Mukuro on the line for this.

Mukuro scowled. He had been hoping that directing her towards himself as a romantic interest would be able to stop her from becoming like this. Turns out he was wrong yet again..

"Where's the skylark? Kufufuf~ That's very uncouth of you, dear Nagi. Honest women do not steal other people's boyfriends."

"They're no longer together, Mukuro-sama. And whoever said I had to play fair? You know..." Chrome smiled dreamily. "I got to kiss him for the first time just now. His lips felt so soft. You know, he looked at me with sleepy eyes and he looked so..."

Mukuro immediately wrapped her in tangles of illusions, but she quickly escaped. She had ten years of experience ahead of him, and even though Mukuro was naturally stronger than her, she had improved a lot. And she had her sin on her side. It was all getting to be a bit too troublesome for Mukuro, so he thought of the easiest thing he could do. He grabbed the nearest chair and smashed her over the head with it. Chrome crumpled immediately like a puppet with her strings cut, blood pooling from underneath her skull. Mukuro's heart leaped and he had to remind himself that this was not the Chrome he had looked out for all these years.

* * *

><p>A bitter taste filled his mouth. The gunshot had just grazed his arm, leaving a small scrape. He had been fast enough to hear the glass shatter and had dodged instinctively, his eyes never leaving the television screen.<p>

"Namimori, wrecked with this horrible turn of events. Let's see what some of the citizens have to say about this..."

The screen turned to cut images of some scared looking citizens.

"My son went to that school! It's a good thing we're on break right now, so.."

"We had a very strong disciplinary committee leader! He was such a rowdy youngster, going around and challenging people to fights! I tell you, this must be all his fault! He must've made enemies who wanted to destroy something that was precious to all of us!"

Hibari was already moving. His ears filled with the accusations of Namimori, horror filing his mind. He had left the town for a week. His beloved town, alone, for a week. And now this had happened. He reached back into his memories, finding images of Komatsu, Kumiko, the grey remote...the bomb threat, Nakamura..

_Kumiko started it, didn't she? If only she had spoken out sooner. If only she had come to see you sooner, your Namimori-middle wouldn't have been attacked and destroyed. Now, look what happened. Your heart was too soft, Hibari Kyoya._

He grasped for the meaning of the hated whispers milling with his thoughts and the only conclusion he could come up with was that Kumiko was the one behind all this. Kumiko was the one to blame.

* * *

><p>Kumiko sat alone in her booth nervously, staring down at her legs. What was taking Hibari-san and Mukuro so long to get back to her? Was something happening that she didn't know of? Something always happens when they're gone. They wouldn't be able to protect her forever.<p>

"Hey, it's you! The girl that I bumped into, outside of that cake shop!" A jovial voice penetrated her mind. She felt someone slide into the seat beside her and instantly recoiled, her back hitting the window. A smiling man leaned towards her. "How's it going?"

She nodded politely and then gestured to get out of the booth. She was starting to feel very cramped and the intimacy of the man didn't help her in any way. His face felt familiar to her in a way that wasn't very comforting. Before the cake shop incident, did she meet this man somewhere? Did someone who looked like this ever interact with her before?

"Where's your Vongola badge, little girl?"

The man moved closer, and then suddenly, he was grabbing her thigh. His expression turned hungry. "Not under their protection anymore, are you? Don't you remember me? I'm one of Nakamura's henchmen. Right, remember that night? You robbed me of my fun that night. You and that little boyfriend of yours." He pulled her towards him. She was struggling now, whimpering in fear as he straddled her and pinned her arms above her head.

"We are going to replay that night, and then we're going to play a game. Hint: it's going to hurt a lot for you down there. You got me?" With one hand, he stroked her cheek lovingly and then brought it down to trace over her chest teasingly.

And then suddenly, she brought her knee up and kicked him between the legs. He snarled and threw himself on her, her head hitting the table with a loud crack. His hands tangled in his hair and his mouth pressed on her lips, her neck, her bare skin. She started screaming, wondering why nobody else in the shop could hear her.

"Get off her." Someone growled, and the man froze.

"It's you again." The man turned back to Kumiko and gave her a sick smile. "Your little boyfriend is here again."

"She's mine. Get off." Hibari growled, slamming his tonfa into the side of the pervert's head. He groaned and Hibari pulled him off Kumiko roughly before stowing his tonfas away.

He stared at Kumiko for a moment, wondering what he should say to her. She stared back at him, her tear stained face pitiful and weak. Hibari felt the rage pooling in his stomach once more. For all he knew, she might've been working hand in hand to plant the bomb. She might've been making a fool out of him. And here she was, weak again, asking for his help, asking for his forgiveness. His rage took over his actions and he reached forward, fingers gripping into her already tousled locks.

"You know what happened to Namimori afterwards? The bomb detonated. There's nothing left. Nothing left of the school I worked so hard to protect." He hissed, completely ignoring the fact that her face was currently scrunched up in pain. She gasped as Hibari slammed her into the window.

"I meant that you're mine to hurt." He murmured. "I don't want you anymore, remember?"

_This isn't Hibari. This is the monster inside him. The rage, the anger...What happened to Namimori...?_

"You know what?" Hibari murmured contemplatively. "I should've let him." He nudged the would be rapist with one toe distastefully. "Wouldn't that be a nice punishment for you?"

She slapped him. Slapped him again. Tears were running freely down her cheeks now. She never asked for this. She never asked to be tortured and threatened. She didn't know that the bomb was still active, didn't know where they had buried it. All she had been trying to do, by enduring the torture, the pain, the fear, was to make sure that they didn't detonate the bomb in the first place. And she never expected so much from Hibari either. He was someone that she had started looking up to and eventually, that admiration had become so much more. So much more that her heart had actually begun to feel hopeful. All those things that he did with her, the motorcycle rides, and all the gentle kisses that he had given her...the rage had tainted him. And now, what was he saying? That he would let some...some disgusting pig of a man rape her? Just so that she would learn a lesson?

She raised her hand to slap him again, but he caught her wrist. She struggled vehemently, bucking against his hold.

Hibari's face was frozen into one of shock. "I would never...I didn't mean..." He murmured. And it was true. Even now, he had felt such a jolt of fear when he saw someone hurting her, he had immediately let the anger pour out. He had been feeling so useless when he saw that man on top of her, so fearful of what he might've already done to her, that he hadn't thought. What was he saying?

Kumiko finally managed to push past him. Her feet pounded against the floor as she raced towards the kitchen. She needed to get away, to get away from him.

_The monster._

_No, not a monster. Hibari-san was just sad. He was just sad and angry and frustrated, and he just had to let it go..._

_He took it out on me._

She skidded around the corner, only half aware of the footsteps that followed after her hurriedly. The sight that met her eyes led her to topple onto her knees, shock overwhelming her features. There, on the floor in front of her, was the other Hibari. Older, wiser, kinder. And he was lying in a pool of his own blood. His legs were bent at unnatural angles, white bone peeking out through flesh.

He was the man who had protected her no matter what. This was the Hibari that she is in love with.

The waitress was standing over him with a smirk on her face. She flicked her hair and Kumiko instantly gasped. This was Komatsu. There's no way she could've forgotten the way Komatsu acts or spoke. So how on earth did she miss it before? Why didn't she recognize her? Kumiko felt irritation coursing through her veins, irritation at herself. If she knew something was wrong, then Hibari-san wouldn't be hurt this badly, would he?

Once again, it was just all her fault.

So when Komatsu spoke, Kumiko surprised herself and everyone else in the room by screaming and charging at her, without a battle plan or any knowledge of fighting. And she took Komatsu by surprise, perhaps, for the older woman didn't raise a hand against her until Kumiko actually managed to land a punch. She fell to the floor and smiled. For once, she managed to accomplish something. Even if it was just a punch, even if she just barely scraped Komatsu, she managed to do something.

Before Komatsu could hurt her again, Mukuro appeared, slamming his trident into her face. Komatsu staggered and they started trading blows, faster than Kumiko's eyes could follow.

She again caught sight of the older Hibari on the floor and she shuffled up to him, head bowed. She pulled Hibari's head into her lap and cradled it gently. _"I'm sorry." _She mouthed._ "I'm so sorry." _Older Hibari's hand came up to stroke her cheek gently, his eyes hazy and disorientated. "Don't be," he murmured. "I'm the one who should apologize. I made you go through so much. Made you suffer so much. I failed to protect you. You don't know how much I regret not being able to..."

She leaned down to kiss him, gently, sweetly, just like his Kumiko used to. And that's because, he reminded himself, they are one and the same.

* * *

><p><em>"You came back."<em>

_She didn't reply, just hugged him tighter. He stood up and carried her, ignoring the dumbfounded looks that the doctors and nurses gave him. Ignoring Mukuro's incredulous expression. He knew. He always believed that she would come back to him. _

_It would take more than death to keep them apart. _

* * *

><p>AN: I know it's getting crazier, I know Hibari's becoming more of a douche and Chrome's being just downright annoying now, but please bear with me because all this has a purpose. This story is coming to an end, my dear readers, and I am eternally grateful to those of you who stuck with me to the end. If I could write down the names of every single person who supported me throughout my writing this, I would need a chapter just for you guys. So thank you ever so much.

Please comment and review! Now is the time to put your opinion in as to whether Hibari should end up with her or Mukuro should! Though maybe you guys should wait until the second last chapter to vote in the poll because Hibari's not going to get many votes right now, is he? He'll be nicer to her later.


	30. The Calm Before the Storm

The poll has spoken! **Hibari **will end up with her, sorry to disappoint those who have voted otherwise! This is what I had originally planned anyway/shot. It's alright, I will write a story just for our dear Mukuro-sama next time!

It's alright if you're mad at me for making the decision to have her end up with Hibari, and I'll understand if you don't want to read this story anymore out of disgust. If you have any questions, comments, flamers or just generally anything you wanna tell me, please review or send me a PM (you can rant at me all you want, I'm willing to take it. I kind of deserve it too, for leaving you guys hanging and for not updating so long.)

Just to make this clear, this story will end in either three or four more chapters! (I'm looking at three, but if you guys want a little funny omake...I wouldn't be too against it for a closure XP)

Long time no talk (at least in this story anyway). I was a little stumped as to how I should end this story, but I have thought of the perfect solution now, so please enjoy! I'm so sorry for the late update (this is super late omg. I'm sorry, I've been so busy I've practically had to super glue my bum to the chair so that I wouldn't start freaking out about other things as well, but it feels quite nice to finish this story.)  
>Disclaimer: I don't own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.<br>Rating: T

* * *

><p>The Calm Before the Storm<p>

* * *

><p><em>It was a cold winter's day when it happened.<em>

_The weather reflected his mood. The sky was dreary, shrouded in grey clouds. Slow flakes twirled to the ground, muffling everything and choking the life out of the citizens of the little town with sheer cold. He had decided to stay indoors, because it was simply too cold to venture outside. And because she was sick again, and he couldn't quench the fear in his heart, the fear that if he turned away just for a second, she would be gone._

_He had literally saw her at death's door. She would not be gone from his site again. And if it were to be so, then he would make sure that he knew she was _really_ gone forever. Hibari Kyoya refused to live in this half world of lies and deception and false hope. If she were to die, it would be with him by her side until her very last breath. _

_"Kyoya, what are you thinking about?" She murmured softly. Her voice had taken on a hoarse, raspy quality, mirroring the state of her throat when she had first started learning how to truly speak. He rubbed her back gently, leaning towards the window and watching as their breaths fogged up the clear glass. Her chest was heaving gently, and he knew that she was stable for a little while longer. _

_Hibird was a mere puffball curled on one corner of the windowsill. Its beady black eyes watched as his master and his master's lover interacted slowly. They were so gentle with each other. So gentle, as if the other would break at the slightest jarring of movements. The girl especially. Hibird could see that she was struggling. Her lifeline had been cleaved down the middle, worn and frayed. It was hanging by a thread, and that thread was straining, about to snap any moment. She was not going to live much longer, and the little bird had tried to tell Hibari so many times, but the man would not accept it. Would not accept, or would not understand, Hibird wasn't sure which. _

_Kumiko was scared. She was so very scared, scared that the next morning would be her last, and that the last thing she would see was the disappointment in Kyoya's eyes. She had never been one to survive in the first place, depending on others for her own survival. She was a parasite, clinging onto others' strength and borrowing it as her own. Perhaps Kyoya still thought her weak, still thought of her as something that had been dragging him down all this time. _

_The fear consumed her, leaving her thoughts vulnerable. She didn't care to eat or drink anymore, and the illness clearly shown in the pallor of her skin, her tired and bedraggled expression and painful huffs as she tries to walk more than a hundred meters. She had become a liability, and her Kyoya did not deserve to be stuck with such a pitiful creature. _

_The more he cared for her, the more he worried over her health, the deeper her guilt became. And she couldn't take it anymore. _

_"Kill me, Kyoya." _

_"Not until I am forced to." He replied surely. With every moment he tried to reach out to her, she shied away, and it was slowly eating away at him. Was he not someone who could protect her and keep her safe? But it was different this time, for Hibari was useless against a terminal illness. It wasn't as if he could just take his tonfas and beat the disease out of her body. _

_The couple was falling apart, only held together by Hibari's sheer determination and Kumiko barely clinging onto her life. With her request, she was slowly but surely cutting away at the last few threads that held them together. _

* * *

><p>When the older Hibari woke, it was to the sound of the softly beeping machines in his hospital room. He felt no pain; he felt nothing at all. The thrumming of the machines agitated his ears, and he had half a mind to twist around and yank their plug out. Without a second thought, he did just that.<p>

Nothing happened. No sharp flare of pain. He had even locked his jaw together unconsciously, already expecting the flare of agony to have travelled up his spine. Didn't he break both his legs? Get some kind of drug injected into him? Lose spectacularly and humiliatingly against the dirty, underhanded tactics of the herbivore, Komatsu, who continued to aggravate his existence and Kumiko's existence ever since ten years ago?

"I didn't expect you to wake that early, Hibari."

That smooth voice could only belong to the Arcobaleno. Hibari settled with giving his unwarranted visitor a stony stare. He meant no disrespect; he held a lot of admiration for the little baby's strength. But from what he learnt, this baby had caused quite the trouble for his younger self in this world. It was...undesirable to see him now.

Reborn's lips twitched into a little smirk, as if he could read Hibari's mind. Hibari wouldn't put it past the little devil to be able to do something of similar capacity, but he chose to stay silent and simply observe and wait for what the baby had to say. Reborn never did anything without a purpose, so there must be something behind his visit.

"I came to tell you that the Namimori of this time has been destroyed and that your younger self had been shot in the shoulder. Nothing too major compared to the injuries he sustained from the fight against Rokudo Mukuro, but we're currently bandaging up his arm in the room next door."

_That explains why the hospital is so devoid of herbivorous sounds. There are no nurses scurrying around, no doctors barking orders, nobody waltzing in and out of his room to 'check on him'. _

"Where's Kumiko?" Was the first thing that came out of his mouth. He faintly remembered the feeling of her lips against him, so frustratingly close, so painfully similar to that of _his _Kumiko. He remembered feeling such longing, such nostalgia, that it had almost been a relief to lose consciousness, to render his mind numb to the world. He remembered her teary expression, the bruises on her arms and her disheveled expression, remembered her screaming at Komatsu and landing a solid punch, and he remembered the flare of pride that he had felt upon seeing the enemy fall backwards, taken by surprise. She was weak, yes. She had no combat experience, yes. But she had the heart to protect, and that was what Hibari had learnt was most important, something that he had neglected back in his timeline, the lack of which had resulted in a freshly dug grave, his dear lover being buried six feet under.

The memory brought a frown to his face, and he turned away from the Arcobaleno.

Warmth filled his body. The sunlight was striking his face, his shoulders, and it was warming him. He had never been a fan of anything bright and sunny; it had seemed all too optimistic to him, too happy, to _loud_. But at the moment, the warmth was welcome, and he had to quell the urge to stretch like a cat and start napping in the cozy atmosphere.

When the feeling spread to his legs, he turned back to his visitor. There was Reborn, unmoving, a little smirk still adorned on his face. He nodded at Hibari's legs and Hibari turned his curious gaze down to his own body. There was a yellow glow surrounding his flesh, healing his injuries at an incredible rate. He could feel the light seeping through his body and stitching his cells back together. Occasionally, acute daggers of discomfort would surface, but he endured them with nothing so much as a flinch.

"You still have something to finish, don't you, Hibari?"

Hibari nodded mutely, trying not to scowl. After all these years, he still hated owing people, and right now his biggest debts went to the Arcobaleno and his archenemy, the detested Rokudo Mukuro. If he had been able to strengthen his own mist flames to sustain Kumiko's voicebox himself, he would've done so without a blink of the eye, but Mukuro beat him to it, and refused his help. So now he was in debt to the pineapple, for as long as Kumiko decided to speak. After she had started learning how to talk, she wouldn't stop, and he couldn't bear to silence her just to settle something as petty as his hatred of debts. That was the one thing he truly didn't regret doing. Just seeing her smiles as she pronounced a particularly difficult word was enough. The fond memory brought a little bittersweet smile to his face.

"You'll see her soon enough. But right now, you have a duty to fulfil. Don't forget why I called you out onto this island, Hibari Kyoya. It was a gamble that I took so that you could properly educate Rokudo Mukuro."

Hibari sighed, plucking the IV out of his arm silently and letting the needle drop to the floor. His machine flatlined as he peeled the sensors of his chest gingerly. He could hear the faint cries of alarm from the reception area, but he didn't plan on sticking long enough for them to find that one of their 'critical' patients had left without being discharged. Pulling on his suit clothes and adjusting the cuffs of the sleeves, he leant against the window and glanced outside, measuring the distance to the ground. It was far enough to break his legs again, but Hibari deemed it close enough to the ground for him to attempt. Reborn had already snuck through his small passageways, and Hibari was alone in the room.

The hospital staff threw open the door just as he yanked open the window and perched himself on the windowsill.

"Hey!" One of the nurses cried out, but he was letting go and freefalling, and she could do nothing but watch helplessly as her patient tumbled onto the soft grass below.

* * *

><p><em>"I'm serious about it."<em>

_They were sitting at the dining table, the only indication that this was a serious matter. If Hibari hadn't been so horrified with their topic of conversation, he might've even decided to tease her about her appearance. He would've enveloped her in his arms and breathed down her neck until she couldn't stand the teasing and started giggling. It would've been just as if nothing had gone wrong in the first place. _

_"Please, Kyoya. I can't go on living like this. Remember the promise you made when we first started going out? You were going to fulfil every wish of ours, and you know that you want this too. You don't want to see me suffer anymore, and I don't want to see you suffer anymore either. You must kill me, as surely as you would if Hibird's wing had been mangled beyond repair." _

_It was true, Hibari would rather put Hibird out of his misery if something had happened to his beloved pet to render it unable to fly forever. He would've done it without a second thought, because he would know that Hibird would've wanted it to. But the bird was fine, and it was Kumiko who was asking the impossible this time. He couldn't just _kill _her. It would destroy him. _

_She stared at him unwaveringly, waiting for him to make his decision. She was stubborn, he'd give her that. And the doctors had already told him that the cause of the disease was unknown, and that she would probably die soon anyway. The doctors had crushed all his hopes of her full recovery, but he had selfishly grasped onto a little sliver. Perhaps it was just his pride, his stubbornness that he held onto that little gap. He had been certain that his Kumiko was going to pull through, even if it was just because he willed it so. _

_But that had not happened, and it had come to this. She was desperate; he could see it in the way she almost cringed away from his touch every time he came close. It was almost like a bad movie, the way their story was ending, but it was a horrifying reality for Hibari. She wasn't going to ever recover. She would be weak forever. Something had drained the life right out of her, and he had no idea what it was. It wasn't something he could just charge at and rip a hole into because it bothered him. _

_"I can ask the illusionist..." He started._

_"Mukuro-san's done enough. He's bought me enough time to pay my dues, say goodbye to everyone else. I had forced him to extend the time many times already, because I couldn't bear letting your hopes die, but we have to face reality. Remember? That's what you always told me. You've always been strong for me, even though sometimes it meant that you had to punish me to show me the right path to walk on. You were the one who taught me that it's useless to live in illusions, because it would just end up hurting more, right? Mukuro-san's responsibility doesn't lie in me. He has Chrome to take care of, he has the Vongola family to fight for."_

_**I have you to fight for. **__Hibari wanted to protest. __**You are my responsibility, and I cannot just let you go like this. **__"Rokudo Mukuro is in love with you." Hibari argues, his eyes slanting hatefully at the fact that he had to stoop so low as to pull out this tactic of all things. When she shook her head, he knew that he had lost this battle, lost this war, lost this part of his life. _

_"It would be unfair of me to keep him hanging onto me. You have to admit, Kyoya, my existence is not essential to the balance of this world."  
><em>  
><em><strong>It's essential to the balance of my sanity. Without you, whose to keep my rage in check? <strong>__He kept his expression carefully blank, the thoughts whirling through his mind at an incredible rate. He was losing her, he knew. He had already started envisioning a life without her, picking through the memories that they had made together as if choosing which ones to keep and which ones would just be a burden on his being. She could see that, in the gentle little quirk of her mouth and the way she whispered to him:_

_"Thank you." _

* * *

><p>"The last thing she wanted me to do was to thank you." Older Hibari remarked as he stepped into the clearing, tonfas already at the ready. The words left a sour taste in his mouth, but that meant that one debt was repaid. The other debt would also be as soon as he started his training sessions. They still had two days on the island, and Hibari wasn't going to go easy on his student at all.<p>

Mukuro was sitting under the shade of a tree, staring up into the sky. There was a nasty gash running down his shoulder, but he didn't seem to feel the pain. As Hibari watched, the blood flowing from the wound crawled back up into his arm. His flesh stitched together, closing flawlessly as if the seam had not been there at all. Without another sound, Hibari charged at the younger version of his rival, only to have his approaches blocked by the trident.

To his surprise, Mukuro was trembling. He could feel it in the way the trident wavered as he held it against Hibari's tonfa. The vibrations jarred Hibari's arm, and with a scowl, the older man shoved the pineapple head away from him, hard enough to make him hit the side of a tree.

"Kufufufu~" Mukuro's heart wasn't into the fight. Kumiko had locked herself in his hotel room and had refused to come out. He had tried to take her back to her own room, but as soon as they had stepped into the room, a scene of destruction had shown itself to her devastated eyes. Her beloved artworks had been strewn around the floor carelessly, some crumpled and stepped on, some torn into little pieces as if the person searching her room had been frustrated with whatever he or she hadn't found.

She had let out a little, startled cry that had tore at his heart. She dived at the scattered pieces of paper on the floor, rifling through them and growing increasingly agitated with being unable to locate the one piece that she really wanted. When Mukuro leant down to try and help her, she had given him a warning stare and he had backed off, bewildered. What was it that she didn't want him to see?

And then he saw it. There it was, a neatly sketched and lovingly smoothened picture, drawn perhaps a few months ago. It was a sketch of Hibari Kyoya, his mouth set in it's usual straight line, but the little dash of light in his drawn eyes betrayed his true emotions. She had quickly picked it up and dusted it off before folding it up and tucking it into her pocket. When she had looked up and seen that Mukuro had been watching her all this time, an unidentifiable expression had crossed her face, a mixture of guilt and sadness. Her heart had never truly let go of the cold prefect, even though he had done so many things to wrong her. She just wasn't capable of letting her love go, and for a moment, Mukuro found himself feeling glad that Hibari had come with them on this trip. If she had to be kept apart from him in different countries, who knew what she would've done.

"Let's go." Mukuro said simply.

She took one look at his injured, forgiving state, and had buried herself into his arms, sobbing. The picture of Hibari Kyoya stayed in her pocket, an unspoken secret he was never meant to see.

And then Mukuro had taken her to his room, pressed a kiss to her forehead before letting her close the door in his face and making sure that she locked it firmly. He knew she needed some time to herself, and the truth was that he needed some alone time as well. Putting some protective illusions into place, he had quietly left the place and paced down the hallway until he was joined by another.

"Mukuro-sama..." A soft voice chirped behind him. The past few days, he had almost come to hate this voice, this soft docile creature that held such a terrifying emotion within her little body. But when Mukuro turned to gauge whether he should fight or leave, he had realized that it was _Chrome _standing before him, not Envy. Envy had been chased to the depths of her brain, at least for the time being.

"Have you come back to your senses, my dear Nagi?" He questioned quietly. When Chrome nodded silently, Mukuro had offered her one of his smiles, as if nothing had turned sour between the two of them, as if Chrome had not intentionally hurt his beloved Kumiko. In a sense, it was never Chrome's fault in the first place, but then again, Mukuro couldn't forgive her entirely for not controlling her real nature well enough.

"Come, Chrome. Let us take a walk."

She was all too happy to join him, and they walked all the way down to the beach before Chrome excused herself neatly and said that she had to go back to 'Bossu and the others' for some more guardian training. Right, Mukuro had thought. Reborn was keeping them busy and keeping an eye on them, because hell's going to go down on Mafia Land. There's been one to many violations of the Mafia laws this week, and someone was going to do something about it. The tension cackled in the air as families eyed each other suspiciously. Rumors flew back and forth: Vongola Decimo's guardian had been injured. Vongola Decimo's hometown school had been attacked. Reborn was smart this way, keeping them out of trouble, keeping them together and staying close to them so that none of them were likely to be targeted on their own again. In the back of his mind, Mukuro wondered where the skylark went. Surely, he wouldn't conform to Reborn's rules and just go with the flow.

Another solid hit from the older Hibari brought Mukuro out of his reverie. Hibari Kyoya, the older one, was smirking at him and lashing out with savage death intent. He was serious when it comes to training; he would hold back for no-one, especially not the one person he now trusts Kumiko's life with. Hibari had resigned to his fate a long time ago. If he couldn't do it in one timeline, who said he would be able to do it for another? Even if he had given his younger self plenty of tips, he had still screwed it up. Frankly put, Hibari Kyoya didn't think that he himself deserved Kumiko anymore, and all that's left for him to do is to ensure that the man she would most likely end up with kept her close, kept her happy and kept her safe.

"Put more strength into your hits." He grunted, pulling back and letting his chains out of his tonfas. They slid out with a rattle and clanged into Mukuro's trident, wrapping around his weapon and pulling it right out of his hand. Mukuro let out a tired little chuckle and barely managed to dodge the swing that was aimed for his head.

"Let's stop. There's no point in keeping this up anymore." Mukuro reasoned.

It was true; the two of them were keeping up pointless charades, each feigning strength. The truth was, the two of them were both weak, and they had both lost her once, and it was a painful experience that they could both relate to. Maybe that was enough to make the two enemies see sense in each other, Mukuro reasoned. And let it be so. He was too tired to fight, too tired of everything, too tired of trying to convince himself that Kumiko had feelings for him when her heart was clearly divided.

The two arch enemies put down their weapons and faced each other warily. Maybe it was alright this way, this understanding between the two of them.

* * *

><p>Kumiko sighed and buried her face in Mukuro's pillow. His room was neat, everything was untouched, which really was no surprise when she thought back to how he spent nearly every night in her room, playing cards with her or talking with her or hugging her until she fell asleep. He really deserved much better than a girl like her, someone who was so...whiny and...and...<p>

With another half turn, she sighed and tried to take deep breaths to calm herself down. Although she was a liability now, it wasn't like she wasn't doing anything at all, right? Didn't she face Komatsu bravely when Hibari was in danger? _The ten years later one, _she reminded herself. There was a clear distinction between the two. Almost like they were two different people entirely, which wasn't that far from the truth seeing as he was from a different dimension. She sighed sadly.

There was a time when they could've been the same person, wasn't there? And then she had to ruin it herself.

She wondered what she really did wrong.

"Still moping about your own uselessness?" A soft voice sounded from the door. Kumiko looked up, startled. Mukuro had the key; nobody else should've been able to come into the room! When her eyes met with a lone purple orb, she scooted back on the bed and huddled against the corner, one hand going to wrap around the lamp. If she needed to, she could throw this. The only problem was that it was still connected to the wall.

Chrome Dokuro blinked. That hadn't meant to come out of her mouth; she didn't mean for her greeting to be so harsh. She coiled in on herself, wanting nothing but to back away from the brown haired girl before her. True, Kumiko looked like she couldn't hurt Chrome even if she wanted to, and true, she could always use the mist flames on her if Kumiko got overly aggressive, but Chrome really didn't want to resort to such measures. She honestly just wanted to talk.

Slowly, as if she was approaching a wild animal, Chrome edged into the room. Kumiko looked on with apprehensive, wary eyes. When the purple haired mist guardian finally approached and sat on the edge of Mukuro's bed, Kumiko made to get up and run out of the room.

"W-wait!" Chrome stuttered. Kumiko paused. She could hear something familiar, something desperate in that voice. It made her unwillingly retrace her steps, made her walk until she was standing right in front of Chrome. She looked down at the now downcast purplenette.

Mukuro wasn't here, so she wasn't able to use her voice a lot if she didn't want to waste his energy. The illusionist made sure that he kept her voice box healthy with his illusions, but when she tried to speak too much, it could tire Mukuro, especially with the distance between the two of them right now. She wasn't even sure where Mukuro had gone, and there was nobody to save her now.

"I...I'm normal now, Kumiko-san." Chrome's stutters were sounding uncomfortably similar to her own, and all Kumiko wanted to do was to shy away and run from the room. But she stood bravely and took a seat across from Chrome. For a whole minute, the two were silent. Kumiko gripped the hem of her shirt unhappily, fidgeting on the spot. She chewed on her lip and coughed a few times, almost as if she was going to say something. Each time, Chrome looked up with hopeful eyes, wanting nothing but an honest interaction with the girl in front of her. She wasn't looking for forgiveness, no she had long let go of that wish. A simple conversation would be enough, even if the starting words were 'I hate you'.

"I..." Kumiko started. Chrome's eye widened and she urged the girl to speak on.

_What would it be like to love someone who was already out of my reach? _Kumiko thought. Throughout this whole fiasco, at least up until now, Chrome had always been the enemy to her. Chrome had wanted Hibari to herself, and even though her actions had caused nothing but confusion and hurt to the brown haired girl herself, Kumiko couldn't dredge up enough hatred within herself to actually curse and scream at her. most of her current pent up frustration was directed at herself, her uselessness, and one little, minute part of her was even thinking..._maybe I would be able to find a kindred spirit in Chrome, someone who would listen to me. _

"I understand how you're feeling." Chrome started. She stared down at the trident in her hand and the ring on her middle finger, clenching and unclenching her fingers into a fist. "I'm useless most of the time too. Mukuro-sama has to save me all the time, and even then...I stray off the path. Like...with...Envy."

Kumiko stared at her. She had given her condition a name? She was a little confused. Was Envy another personality that was part of Chrome? The thought scared her a little, but also made her feel relieved. This meant that Chrome wasn't as bad as she had thought, right? Unless Chrome was feeding into Envy's desires...

She shook her head. Once upon a time, she had been more determined to keep Hibari by her side. Now...she wasn't even sure if Hibari wanted to be with her anymore. Whenever they tried to interact, the conversation just turned awkward and painful. The last time she had seen him...he had said something hurtful to her, and she wasn't sure if she could handle seeing him again after that incidence. Not only that, but his future self had gotten hurt on her behalf, and then she had gone into a rage, and then Komatsu...Everything was just confusing at this point. She wasn't trying to make heads or tails of the situation anymore. She just wanted to get away from it all, but then Chrome just had to show up, and this just made her even more...frustrated with herself. And what hurt the most was...she could actually understand what the purple haired girl was saying. That feeling of uselessness settled deep in her heart and gave her the feeling that she would never truly live up to people's standards. She didn't truly deserve Mukuro either, because she has caused trouble for Mukuro too.

"It's confusing." Kumiko finally managed. Chrome nodded, and silence settled between the two of them again.

The door burst open with a bang, revealing a very flustered and slightly bruised up Mukuro. His eyes flickered over to Kumiko quickly before realizing that Chrome was in the room. His eyes trained on her like a hawk, and with slow, warning strides, he walks to take Kumiko's side. Chrome's eyes saddened, and with a murmur of 'Mukuro-sama', she gets up to leave the room.

Only to be stopped with a bullet through her heart.

* * *

><p>Hibari absolutely hated waking up in the hospital. The dull throbbing of his shoulder informed him that his wound was still raw and gaping, despited the fact that the doctors had tried their best to patch him up. Rolling his shoulders experimentally, he was rewarded with a sharp pain shooting down his arm, making him let out a growl of annoyance. Hibird, fluttering to and fro from the bedside table to his hair, chirped in a reassuring way, as if to convince his master that he would get better soon for sure.<p>

The first thought that came to his mind was what he had said to Kumiko not too long ago. He didn't actually mean it, he told himself. She would understand, he reasoned, but all he could see in his mind was her hurt face, the look she had given him, a look bordering on disgust and anger and such confusion.

The last thing he had remembered was his encounter with Kumiko in the restaurant. She had run away from him, and he had felt such anger at himself, such anger at the man who was now unconscious, a would be rapist of his Kumiko. He had taken it out on the unconscious body, something that he had been careful not to do since he had first learnt his way of fighting. There was nothing dignified about fighting someone already fallen, and it was even worse when his opponent wasn't even conscious to feel the pain. With each reaching strike, he could feel the wound in his shoulder worsening, the pain shooting up and down his arm. He revelled in the pain, laughed inwardly at his pitiful state. Was this what it meant to hurt someone in such a way that it could not be repaired? Was this how it felt to have your heart so beyond repair, so twisted with hatred that he had been pushing the one important person in his life far away from him by hurting her? He remembered everything, his first hesitant approaches for her, her first hesitant responses to his feelings. He remembered the first kiss they had shared, how inexperienced they both were at expressing their emotions.

He wanted to laugh. They had both been such a pitiful pair; one who was unable to express his emotions because he had never felt anything quite like it before, scared to admit that he had a weakness, and the other mute, disabled, someone who couldn't express her feelings in a normal communicative way. One the one hand, they had been perfect for each other, a quiet, close relationship that Kyoya wasn't all that adverse to in the first place. On the other hand, there was no way it would've worked out, what with her being unable to communicate her thoughts properly, and her being so weak. Hibari didn't have the resources, or the time, or the will to teach her how to defend herself, and she was just too _dependent _on the people around him.

"I didn't expect you to be awake that early, Hibari."

The familiar voice was an annoyance to him. Reborn had been the catalyst for all this misunderstanding to happen, and the baby was acting as if he had planned this from the beginning, as if Hibari and Mukuro and Kumiko were just toys of his to play with, and their little love triangle was just a play unfolding before their eyes.

"I was just talking to your older self, and he agreed that the training has to continue."

The last thing Hibari wanted right now was to see Mukuro, and his growl seemed to convey his feelings adequately for Reborn to understand. The little baby hitman had a blank expression on, and when Hibari moved to swipe at the akanbou, Reborn leapt back and out of his reach, firing a warning shot into the air with his Leon gun. Hibari stared hatefully at the baby, someone he had once admired for strength. Right now, Reborn, though still a formidable opponent in Hibari's eyes, had become a trickster, a manipulative _degenerate _that had ruined everything.

"You _will _continue to train with the older Mukuro, Hibari Kyoya. Your future, her future...depends on it." Reborn continued. His voice was steady and confident, and he met the hatred in Hibari's eyes head on.

After a while, Hibari turned his head away. There was no way for him to beat the little hitman with his pitiful state, and his heart was in too much turmoil.

"Rage, Hibari." Reborn started again. The words sparked a feeling of familiarity within his heart, and Hibari looked back at the little hitman with barely concealed, almost _hungry_ curiosity in his eyes. It was as if Reborn had finally acknowledged him for something that he had always been, something that he had been repressing all these years. _Rage? _A fitting name for a true carnivore. Wasn't rage what Hibari had been running off all these years he's been living in solitude? The more he held himself back, the more he felt as if he was losing touch with his identity. This was a form of acknowledgment, wasn't it?

"Rage. You are Rage, but you have to learn to control the monster inside you. You've seen how badly it could hurt both you and Kumiko if you let it get out of hand, hadn't you?"

Hibari cast his mind back to the recent events, the little twinges of regret already coming back to haunt him just as his bullet wound had been throbbing for the past hour. Yes, it would get out of hand. He should've just suppressed, suppressed it, until he couldn't remember his rage anymore. He should've have opened his mouth; the words that had come out of his lips were not his own.

He grit his teeth and looked away from Reborn. There was no way he was going to admit to the baby that he hadn't been keeping himself in check. It was the only thing he was scared of, losing control, losing his _humanity. _If he was just a monster with a human body, then why did he have the capacity in his heart for such useless and fanciful emotions such as love? He just didn't get it and it confused, hurt and angered him. How much longer will he have to suffer this condition?

"It'll be alright if you go talk to her." The baby cut in suddenly.

Hibari stared at Reborn. His heart had skipped a little, but he refused to acknowledge the sudden lightened feeling of the tension in his chest. Will it really be all alright? He wanted to believe in Reborn's words, but he couldn't let himself be deceived so easily.

"Here. She drew this." Reborn handed him a stack of sketching paper, on which were...were sketches of him. In each one, she had stayed true to his original expressions; ones of blank apathy. But in every one, he could see smudged out lines of her wishful thinking. In some pictures, she had extended his mouth just a little bit, so that he was smiling, or she had shaded an almost kind glint in his eyes so that it seemed like he had softened his expression just a little bit for her. In each occasion, she had rubbed vigorously at the sketching paper and returned his expression back to normal, but Hibari's sharp eyes caught everything.

"Do you understand now? Rage can be better controlled if the rage isn't directed at who you love, but rather, who you want to protect. Learn how to be stronger and learn to stop hurting her. Right now, Mukuro's miles ahead of you in that department."

"Kufufu~ That may be true, but unfortunately I will have to ask the skylark for another request." The younger Mukuro strolled into the infirmary with Kumiko in his grasp. There was a hurried air to Mukuro's usual saunter. The girl was covered in blood and had a shocked look on her face. She didn't even acknowledge Kyoya, which stung a little but was quickly brushed aside as Hibari's eyes looked through her current condition. It didn't seem like the blood was coming from her.

Mukuro led her to the chair kept for visitors and sat her down gently. "I'll be back soon." He promised, and she nodded weakly at him, staring down at her crimson-stained hands. Hibari wordlessly watched the two of them interact, clenching his blankets with one hand. Reborn shot him a knowing look before turning his attention to Mukuro.

"What happened."

"Chrome was shot through the heart. Our older selves have been forced out of this world, from what I can gather. The older Hibari and the older Mukuro both left something behind for you." Mukuro stalked over to Hibari's bedside and shoves something into his hands before turning to leave. Reborn frowned and jumped onto Mukuro's shoulder, to which the illusionist strangely didn't complain. From the way they were both shooting each other silent glances, Hibari and Kumiko were both missing out on a big chunk of the conversation, possibly to keep Kumiko from getting even more scared and shocked.

"Keep her talking, skylark. Trauma was the main reason why she lapsed into silence."

Hibari growled. "Who are you to order me aro-"

"Stop thinking about yourself and _think of others _for once!" Mukuro shot back quickly. His voice had rose into a harsh almost-yell, and that had roused Kumiko from her shocked state so that she was staring at the indigo haired male once more. Mukuro shot her a reassuring look and she nodded slowly. "I'll be keeping your vocal chords intact, so just talk to the skylark. Promise me."

"I promise." Kumiko answered quietly, so quiet that even Hibari almost had trouble catching onto her words. Her speech had improved greatly, he noticed. Mukuro nodded at Hibari and left with Reborn still sitting on his shoulder, the two of them continuing to converse in hushed tones. From what Hibari could catch, Chrome had been sent into emergency care and the Vongola guardians were now searching for Komatsu, who was obviously the person behind everything. Apart from that, there were whispers of a Mafia war breaking out right on this island, which is almost unbelievable since this Mafia Land area is exclusively for Vongola and it's allies. The famiglias were already arming themselves up and pointing accusatory fingers at each other. Mentions of the Namimori bombing almost made Hibari get up and walk out along with them, but another glance at the now trembling brunette changed his mind. Reborn had told him to talk, hadn't he?

"Herbivore."

She started slightly, before turning to face him. She was a downright mess; clumps of her hair were stuck together because of the now congealing blood. There was just so much of the crimson liquid, and it splattered her skin in angry red splotches. Her clothes was covered in the stuff.

"Go wash yourself up." He jerked his head in the direction of the bathroom for the patient, and she ambled over obediently. The silence stretched between the two of them as she made her way across the room without daring to look at him. Upon reaching the bathroom, she gripped the doorknob so hard that Hibari could see the whites of her knuckles. She finally turned to face him, her eyes wandering across the wound in his shoulder. A mixture of worry and fear quickly crossed her face when her eyes finally met his, and Hibari stared back steadily. There was a slightly reddened patch on his pale skin where she had slapped him.

Her wandering eyes found the pictures that Reborn had put in Hibari's hands. There were her sketches, some of them already torn and crumpled because of the search in her room. She jolted, before quickly darting into the bathroom and slamming the door shut. There was another bout of inactivity before he could hear her bustling around, the water running. And if he strained his ears a little bit more, he could hear her quiet hiccups. She was crying. Again.

He swung his feet off the bed and walked over to the bathroom slowly. He pressed one palm against the door. "Are you decent?" He calls softly. He didn't want to walk in on her _showering, _of all things, but he hadn't caught the sound of her clothes hitting the floor and so had assumed that she was still fully clothed. Instead, the sound of rustling, wet fabric caught his attention.

A burst of memory invaded his mind. Memories that were his but not his at the same time, memories of a future with her, her laughing, smiling at him, the little spats that they had, the way she had stood stubbornly against his decision to stay in Namimori, claiming that he wasn't doing enough for Sawada's Familgia. His disdainful replies, her pleading. She cared for all of them, and was worried that Kyoya would be _lonely, _even though she herself knew that he hated useless emotions such as loneliness. Even so, he had grudgingly agreed to visit Italy 'once in a while', if only so that she could see the others, banter playfully with Gokudera and hang out with Yamamoto and eat his sushi. Even if it meant that she could see Mukuro again, to talk with the trickster illusionist, even if Hibari had to suffer through a turmoil of jealousy and suspicions to allow her to see the indigo haired man, he would still let her go because he wanted nothing for her but happiness. That, and he knew that she was loyal. She never stayed by Mukuro for too long, never responded to his teasing flirtations, and always, _always _found herself back at Hibari's side.

She never abandoned him.

One last memory shrouded his mind, memories of a fear that he has never felt before. Memories of a painful thud from the bathroom, and when he walked in; she had almost drowned.

He tapped the door urgently. "I'm coming in, herbivore." Saying her name would be too painful, and so he had childishly resorted back to his normal nickname for others. He heard a little half-sob of consent and without further ado, he opened the door. The door wasn't locked in case of emergency with the hospital patient, and although Hibari would usually be insulted at the lack of privacy (if he had been the one using the bathroom and someone just walked in, he would've bitten the perpetrator to death), but this time he was rather grateful.

Immediately, he caught sight of her. Huddled in the bathtub, hot water pounding on her back. She was still fully clothed, but the blood had started to wash out of her clothes and hair, leaving her with the look of a bedraggled little animal left out in the rain. Almost immediately, Hibari's protective nature kicked in and he walked over to her with one hand out to keep her from running away. He was treating her as if she was a little animal backed up against the wall, and he could see from the small, fiery sparks in her eyes that occasionally surfaced that she was going to be unpredictable.

One part of his mind warned him that it was going to be dangerous; what if she was Komatsu or Envy in disguise? Then it would be a big problem for him. His mobility has already taken a big blow because of the shot to his shoulder, but it wasn't as if he was completely defenseless.

She was _scared of him_, he finally realized. When he had come close enough, she had immediately shifted to the side and made to dart out of the bathtub. Her sopping wet clothes slowed her down however, giving Hibari enough time to shut the water off quickly, wincing slightly at the temperature, and capture her in his grasp.

"Stop struggling." He growled. She shoved and cried against him, fighting her way away from him, actions that hurt Hibari mentally more than physically. He knew he made a mistake of their last encounter, but he wasn't expecting such a strong reaction. He wasn't expecting her to try and run away from him. But he supposed that she had been humiliated in front of him so many times, that it was natural for her to try and get away from him in order to avoid the mental pressure that she must've felt for the past few encounters. She was just hurt, hurt so terribly that she had sought comfort in Mukuro's presence, hurt so terribly that she didn't want to face a past with Hibari in it.

"I'm sorry." He murmured, feeling his lips move around the uncomfortable words. She stilled in his grasp, breathing heavily, eyes still looking longingly at the door.

When her hands came up to loop around his neck and she buried her face into his chest to sob against him, Hibari was speechless. Part of him, the _rage _part, wanted to shove her away, to beat her senseless for being such a disgusting, slobbering herbivore, the other part wanted to pat her hair and calm her down. Instead, the two of them just stood there, clinging to each other, and if it weren't for all the tears and confusion, it might've even felt normal again.

* * *

><p>"O..On my way here..." She started, still hiccuping slightly. Hibari nodded to show that he was listening, although his mind was wandering to the situation outside the window. The kind and caring, always listening, shoulder to cry on boyfriend role was never his to play; he just wasn't cut out to comfort. The apology had already been a stretch for him, although he knew that it was a well due statement and he was sorry he hadn't said it earlier.<p>

Outside, men walked around with guns strapped to their backs. There were women and children, the people to be protected, pressing their hands and faces against the windows in the hotel complex just opposite the hospital. It looked like a country getting ready for war, what with Famiglia men being lined up and marched around to patrol the island. They must've come to a consensus on which family was behind everything, and Hibari longed to be out there with his tonfas out, stalking the streets and getting ready to engage in heavy combat. Even so, he knew that he wanted to stay here. Komatsu would be looking for Kumiko. The spiteful assassin obviously hadn't forgiven the brunette for hurting her twice in a row, once by slamming that chair down on her spine, and the other by landing a lucky punch on her future self. Even so, Hibari was edgy. His tonfas were secured up his sleeve, ready to be slid out and used to dish out severe beatings if need be.

The next words that came out of her mouth stopped his wandering thoughts.

"On my way here, Mukuro broke up with me." She whimpered pathetically, and Hibari turned to stare at her.

"I...I shouldn't have come crawling back to you...li...like a parasite, but...but Mukuro told me that you would protect me and he...he wouldn't let me go anywhere else or st..stay in his hotel room anymore...because Chrome got hurt and..."

Quietly, Hibari drew her into his arms and shifted slightly so that she was sitting comfortably in his lap.

He finally understood.

* * *

><p>"Is this alright with you, Mukuro?"<p>

Mukuro stayed silent, staring firmly at the floor in front of him. It was a while before he spoke, and even then Reborn could feel the trembles of his shoulder. "It was for her good."

"You could've changed the future. You could've changed the history of other parallel worlds. The two of you had an equal chance of being together with Kumiko."

"With her, I could never be selfish like that." Mukuro answered softly. It was true. The way he had 'handed' her over to Hibari was an agonizing decision for Mukuro. He knew that if he had stalled, if he had convinced Kumiko and himself that they were in love with each other even more than they had been before, then it would be all over. She would be completely destroyed, and Mukuro would be giving in to himself, to the monster _Lust _that he had so carefully chained inside. If Kumiko had consented to more than hugging or even kissing, he wouldn't have held back and he would've hurt her. This wasn't even a question of competition with Hibari Kyoya anymore. This was a question of his own sanity, of her safety, and of his willingness to sacrifice his own happiness for hers.

Lust was a destructive force on it's own, while Rage could be used for better purposes to protect. The way he had handed over meant more than he was giving up; it meant that he was doing the only good thing he was possibly capable of in his entire being. And with that, Mukuro was already satisfied.

"Besides, I have other responsibilities, don't I?" Mukuro chuckled as they came face to face with the steel door of an emergency room.

Beyond it lay a dying woman, and with her death, the rise of a powerful force that they plan on chaining to turn the war in their favor.

Envy.

* * *

><p>Thanks to all those who reviewed since I last updated (Which was a long time ago):<p>

**Yuki-shi-chan, Nightmare (anon), mirageseason132, , OneWhoWasForgotten, Guest (anon), NatsuLuvsKyoya, Mukufan, serenetxl, anyandeveryanime, CookieMonster (anon), Guest (anon), and psychotic luv.**

Thank you all so much for the support you've shown for this story! I love all of your reviews. Please, if you have any questions or comments regarding the recent chapter, be sure to just review or ask me through PM! I don't mind :3

It's been a long while since I updated this story so please ask if you're confused about plot. And woot! I've almost reached 200 reviews, WHICH IS AMAZING! I don't get how I could get that much. Fun fact: my original review goal for this fic was one for every chapter I wrote. I didn't know I would get this much T.T Thanks for all your beautiful comments, everyone!

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><p>Little preview for next chapter:<p>

"Do you want to know what really happened between Hibari Kyoya and Koizumi Kumiko? Do you really?"

Mukuro nodded, his mouth dry with anticipation. What if...what if he had been wrong to give up all this time?


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